Swim coach decries lack of unity among swimming clubs

THERE should be unity in swimming in Cebu City.

This was the lament of coach Rolando Alvarez during the Scoop Forum last Thursday wherein he deplored the lack of unity among the different swimming clubs in the city.

Alvarez, coach of Team Cebu City’s swimmers who won the overall title in the recent regional eliminations of the 2013 Batang Pinoy in Tacloban City, Leyte, said the city has many potential talents in swimming but that swimming clubs lack unity.

“Ang Cebu City daghan unta ug potential swimmers pero once man gud ang bata mosikat, modako pud ang ulo di lang ang bata hasta pud ang parents. For the past seven years daghan ko gipasikat nga swimmers pero inig sikat na mokalit lang ug balhin sa lain na club nga di gani mananghid nako,” said Alvarez, who will also coach Team Visayas in the upcoming 5th Milo Little Olympics.

The head coach of the University of Cebu (UC) and the Cebu Blue Marlins swimming club, Alvarez, said that he’s okay if his swimmers will transfer to other clubs provided they will just inform him.

“Okay ra na mobalhin sila ug laing clubs pero mananghid lang sila nya putlon na namo among communication. Dili lang pud unta nila daoton ang Cebu Blue Marlins hasta ako if naa na sila sa lain nga club,” added Alvarez, who refused to name names.

He also said stage parents are causing him headaches.

“Masuko usahay ang mga parents kun dili palanguyon ilang anak bisan dili qualified mo compete. Mao na usahay na mapildi ni atong region sa mga competitions,” said Alvarez.

Meanwhile, CBM Club president Terry Cañeda, announced that the club is planning to hold more swimming meets to generate income to buy more equipment which will be used by the swimmers as they prepare for big events such as the national finals of Milo and Batang Pinoy.