Seven years ago, the Davao City National High School(DCNHS) School Sports Development Program was launched by national games campaigner-turned-teacher Jose Alther Rivera and his team of educator-athletes.
Their program is designed to provide opportunities to student-athletes for academic development while being in sports, teach them value formation, enhance their talent and skills of their chosen sports discipline and once identified, mold them to become top-caliber athletes.
So far, City High has produced medalists in the Cebu Batang Pinoy National Games like Dave Torres and Roshua Daclan, silver and bronze, respectively, in dancesports, or John Lloyd Cananon and Daphne Bactor, gold and silver winers in arnis, plus a team silver in girl’s volleyball.
Having the biggest population among public schools, City High has the advantage of identifying and selecting potential national athletes.
But this is not an easy undertaking. That is why I would like to commend the builders of the program, specially the coaches for having the dedication of taking care of student-athletes. On the part of the athlete, it is not an easy task too. First you have to hurdle your academic requirements and keep yourself 100 percent ready for the tournaments.
Rivera, who is a proud Holy Cross of Davao College Crusader and one of the best athletes Davao City has ever produced, thought of this program, it’s all because he himself has experienced the pains and gains of being a student-athlete.
This is a noble task of preparing high school student-athletes in a public school where many of them cannot simply afford to buy original sports shoes designed for high level competitions.
For those who will survive the program, luckily, sports directors from the university and colleges are actually always on the lookout for outstanding high school student-athletes for recruitment to the program. I’m not being biased but if you happen to be recruited to the University of Mindanao sports program, you’ll be one lucky student-athlete.
Anyway, should there be any business owners, companies willing to help the high school sports program, please call Mr.Rivera at 0929-176-6869. You’ll not just be exercising corporate citizenship but believe, they will forever be grateful specially their families.
Ahh, reminds me of the Davao City Sports Council Inc. What have they been doing these days?
My snappy salute to the teachers and supporters of the City High sports program.
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Happy birthdays to Grace Plata, Al Pepito, and to idol Jasper Huang’s wife Maricel.
