PSC out to invest on local coaches

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman William Ramirez yesterday said coaches in the national pool can ask for better pay like their foreign counterparts if only they give their full time and attention to helping the Filipino athletes.

Ramirez spoke before Filipino coaches from close to 30 sports during the two-day seminar conducted by officials from the Korean Institute of Sports Science (KISS) at the Philsports Arena.

“You complain about foreign coaches receiving $2,500 a month from the PSC. Give me quality coaching and I will give you the same,” said the PSC chairman in urging the coaches to show that they deserve what they want.

“I challenge you,. I can give you as much as P100,000 a month,” he told the coaches, some of whom are getting no more than P30,000 a month.

 “I have money for the coaches. I am willing to invest on you. You will receive an increase in your allowances hopefully starting in January 2017,” said Ramirez.

But the coaches, according to the PSC chief, must give more in return -- their full time serving the national team.

There are coaches in the national pool who work double time as coaches of the national athletes and mentors in private schools, colleges and universities or as trainers in private gyms or fitness centers.

Ramirez said the practice can be stopped if the coaches agree to serve the national team full time. They can share their expertise in the regional levels and get honorarium from the PSC.

“You will earn more by doing that. There’s no need for you to look for other coaching jobs elsewhere,” said Ramirez in a brief speech that was well-applauded by the coaches who attended the seminar.

“Take advantage of the Duterte (administration). Take advantage of me. But give us quality coaching in return. You study. Use your computers. Do more research and less Facebook,” he told the coaches.

Ramirez reminded his audience that he worked as a coach, too, for the Ateneo de Davao, but never had the chance to be a national coach or be a national athlete.

“That’s why you must consider yourselves fortunate. Coaching is learning and you don’t stop learning. I don’t believe that an old coach can no longer learn,” he said.

Ramirez stressed that Filipino coaches, young and old, will have to learn how coaches in other countries do it, focusing more on sports science or the scientific way of training, including the latest methods in strength and conditioning.

“No pain, no gain in training is a thing of the past. Everyone and does it the scientific way these days, and it’s about sports science,” Ramirez said.

The PSC chief also reminded the Pinoy coaches on the proper behavior or how they behave or how they dress, how they talk to the athletes and how they listen to the athletes.