ONCE his appointment as the national team chief of mission to the 32nd Cambodia Southeast Asian games is formalized, baseball chief Chito Loyzaga intends to hit the ground running next month as the country prepares for the regional sportsfest barely eight months from now.
“We are awaiting our formal appointment during the Philippine Olympic Committee general assembly on Sept. 28, but after that we intend to hit the ground running,” Loyzaga, the Philippine Amateur Baseball Association president, said yesterday.
Expected to be formally appointed together with Loyzaga during the POC meeting are sambo chief Paolo Tancontian and national dragon boat and canoe-kayak team coach Lenlen Escollante, his deputies.
“One thing for sure is that we want to give all our athletes (bound for the Cambodia SEA Games) the opportunity to prepare properly, or what we call pre-tournament preparations. We want to make sure that they get all the support for their training,” he stressed.
A former commissioner of the Philippine Sports Commission, he added “we are not necessarily looking at international exposure because until today we still have to live with the effects of COVID-19 and traveling is not yet as open in other countries.”
He said that he has not yet touched base with PSC Chairman Noli Eala regarding the country’s build-up although they met informally during the dinner hosted by POC President and Tagaytay Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino two weeks ago.
Loyzaga said he and other PABA officials have a scheduled courtesy call today with Eala and might take the matter of the SEA Games preparations during the course of their conversation.
“‘Yung sa aking lang is that it is important to be in a position to pass all of the requirements to PSC Chairman Noli Eala to make sure that the funding and support will be allocated to our athletes who will see action in the Cambodia SEA Games,” he said.
Asked if he found his new role challenging, the former basketball defensive stalwart said: “It is always challenging when you are the national team chief of mission (of a country) that is not hosting the SEA Games.”
