Stars urge youth to get into sports

MANILA, Philippines — Focusing on life’s lessons that the youth could learn from engaging in sports, Milo launched the Get Your Child into Sports campaign at the Alphaland City Club in Makati yesterday.

The program is expected to attract more children to participate in the beverage brand’s different sports programs, starting with the Milo Summer Sports Clinics set April 2 to June 3 in around 700 venues nationwide.

Around 30,000 kids aged seven to 12 years old are drawn yearly to the summer sports program, now on its 35th staging.

“Milo puts emphasis on the importance of sports in a child’s life. Sports is a great teacher. We can talk about confidence, camaraderie and discipline but it’s different when we experience it in sports. This is where a child falls, gets lessons in life where he have to stand up on his own two feet and never give up,” said Nestle Philippines senior vice president Joey Uy.

Expert coaches and instructors, who have competed and won in local and international tournaments, will train the kids in badminton, basketball, bowling, chess, crossfit, fencing, football, futsal, golf, gymnastics, ice skating, karatedo, lawn tennis, parkour, swimming, table tennis, touch rugby and volleyball.

“These are just the few things we are going to start doing to encourage children and the next generation to be more active and to focus on the importance of learning values not just in the classroom. The classroom is one avenue but not the only avenue to learn. The basketball court, the volleyball court is another classroom in life,” said Nestle Philippines vice president Willy de Ocampo.

Milo sports ambassador and volleyball superstar Alyssa Valdez encouraged parents to get their child into sports, noting how the sport imparted in her invaluable life lessons that made her a champion not just in the court but also off it.

Valdez also shared her experience as an athlete in the Southern Tagalog Calabarzon Athletic Association where she had zero knowledge in volleyball to a superstar athlete at present with championship and MVP trophies under her belt, all with the constant support of her parents.

“I realized that my volleyball journey wasn’t just training me for the game but also for life. Win or lose, I learned the discipline and value of hard work. I learned to be more responsible, to show respect and be friendly to others. But more than the medals and the trophies, it’s the power of the sport that I wish every child could experience. It will teach children values that he or she can take off the court and take to heart to become true champions in life. I have learned so much so parents, please get your child into sports,” said Valdez.

Also present during the launch was Education Undersecretary Tonisito Umali.

Basketball stars Chris Tiu and Kiefer and Thirdy Ravena, taekwondo jin Japoy Lizardo and gymnast Kaitlin de Guzman are among the products of the Milo summer sports program.