5/05/2009
The should-have-been NCAA school member
I was at the Nike Summer League covering the games when I saw my high school alma mater basketball head coach watching on the sidelines, waiting for their turn at the court.
I walked to where he was and started a little chat, catching up with the goings-on in the school and the sports teams since the last time I was there, which was a few months ago covering a collegiate league which one of his assistant coaches is the president.
Talk turned to the school’s preparation for NCAA South when the coach was actually referring to our NCAA-Manila application. That so-called application to the oldest premier collegiate league in the country has been an urban legend in our school ever since I graduated, which is exactly ten academic years ago.
It partly became true when we became part of NCAA South. It was a consolation of sorts. And I know way back then than joining even a second-tier collegiate league would make our overall sports program improve. It did.
For starters, our high school basketball program elevated from PAYA to PRADA. What those acronyms mean, beats me, but they are being tossed around as ladderized secondary developmental leagues.
It came somewhat as a shock to me to find out that we were the fifth NCAA-Manila applicant. Not Saint Francis of Assisi College System, which already severed with its mother league NCRAA and participated in another alphabet league. The four other institutions in the running have been mentioned in previous releases.
What is good to know is that the satellite institutions of our school in other parts of the country are willing to help my alma mater in its membership. But of course. Being there is already one foot at the door and being namedropped as one of the member schools of NCAA-Manila is a prestige in itself.
In their own little way, though, some of the provincial branches of our school are providing us a steady stream of athletes to participate in NCAA South. With that, a simple thanks coming from me.
This extensive network is essential. I should know. I studied in a university where it is a member of a system comprised of about 19 institutions and counting. And it is good to know that there is someone out there is an alumnus of my alma maters wherever I go.
Just sucks to know that the reason our application was rejected is that because we only have a cemented basketball court in our gym and not a hardwood one. I mean, what does that have to do with our application? As if NCAA-Manila would play games in our gym.
At least we tried. And the fact of the matter is, our school could pay those fees at the drop of a hat.
It may still be an urban legend until it becomes an actuality. For now, when talk goes to our supposed NCAA-Manila membership, I could say, “You know what, there is grain of truth in it.”
I walked to where he was and started a little chat, catching up with the goings-on in the school and the sports teams since the last time I was there, which was a few months ago covering a collegiate league which one of his assistant coaches is the president.
Talk turned to the school’s preparation for NCAA South when the coach was actually referring to our NCAA-Manila application. That so-called application to the oldest premier collegiate league in the country has been an urban legend in our school ever since I graduated, which is exactly ten academic years ago.
It partly became true when we became part of NCAA South. It was a consolation of sorts. And I know way back then than joining even a second-tier collegiate league would make our overall sports program improve. It did.
For starters, our high school basketball program elevated from PAYA to PRADA. What those acronyms mean, beats me, but they are being tossed around as ladderized secondary developmental leagues.
It came somewhat as a shock to me to find out that we were the fifth NCAA-Manila applicant. Not Saint Francis of Assisi College System, which already severed with its mother league NCRAA and participated in another alphabet league. The four other institutions in the running have been mentioned in previous releases.
What is good to know is that the satellite institutions of our school in other parts of the country are willing to help my alma mater in its membership. But of course. Being there is already one foot at the door and being namedropped as one of the member schools of NCAA-Manila is a prestige in itself.
In their own little way, though, some of the provincial branches of our school are providing us a steady stream of athletes to participate in NCAA South. With that, a simple thanks coming from me.
This extensive network is essential. I should know. I studied in a university where it is a member of a system comprised of about 19 institutions and counting. And it is good to know that there is someone out there is an alumnus of my alma maters wherever I go.
Just sucks to know that the reason our application was rejected is that because we only have a cemented basketball court in our gym and not a hardwood one. I mean, what does that have to do with our application? As if NCAA-Manila would play games in our gym.
At least we tried. And the fact of the matter is, our school could pay those fees at the drop of a hat.
It may still be an urban legend until it becomes an actuality. For now, when talk goes to our supposed NCAA-Manila membership, I could say, “You know what, there is grain of truth in it.”
Labels: sports
// posted by Unknown @ 12:20 
