CEBU CITY. – Represented by Fortune Elementary School, Marikina ruled the elementary girls’ volleyball tourney of the National Capital Regional Athletic Meet nearly three months ago to fulfill a long-cherished goal of advancing to the 64th Palarong Pambansa here.
It was a dream stint that began in 2019 and coach Rona Icaranom and her young belles had their sights set on carrying the colors of NCR and show they have what it takes in the premier sporting spectacle for elementary and high school student athletes.
Until Icaranom passed away in a devastating motorcycle accident last May 6 along General Orodñez St., corner Balagtas St. in Marikina Heights. She would have celebrated her 32nd birthday on Saturday, July 13.
“Nalungkot ang buong team sa biglaang pagkawala ni ma’am Rona,” Allan Vinarao, Icaranom’s erstwhile assistant strategist who now calls the shots for the squad, told Malaya-Business Insight yesterday. “Kaya puspusan ang training ng mga bata upang makamit ang goal ni ma’am Rona.
“Gusto naming makuha iyong gintong medalya sa Palarong Pambansa at maging kauna-unahang champion sa volleyball elementary girls’ from Marikina,” he added.
The youngest in a brood of nine children, Icaranom, whose FES team fell short in last year’s NCR joust, suffered the accident while driving her way home after preparing the documents of her players for the Palaro. She was taken to the Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center but succumbed to the fatal injuries she suffered when a Toyota Vios car hit her motorcycle.
The skills and lessons taught by Icaranom, a native of Pandan town in Catanduanes, will never be forgotten, according to her charges.
“Rigid ang training kahit noong buhay pa si ma’am Rona. Sinasabi naming coaches na maging matatag at gawing inspiration nila (players) si ma’am,” Vinarao said. “Alam namin na natutuwa din dahil siya ang angel na nagbabantay sa bawat laro ng mga bata.”
NCR opens its campaign in the elementary girls’ volleyball tilt against Northern Mindanao today at the University of San Jose-Recoletos-Basak campus here.
“Malaki ang chances namin in this Palaro dahil tiwala kami sa husay ng bawat isa sa team,” Vinarao said. “Gawin lang ng players iyong part nila and focus sa laro ang bawat isa upang makamit iyong goal.
“Naniniwala kami na nandiyan lang si ma’am Rona na sumusubaybay sa amin.”
The Big City girl spikers will certainly pour their hearts out with someone so dear to them watching and guiding them from up there.
