Palaro preparation goes full swing

PREPARATIONS for the 2015 Palarong Pambansa in Tagum City, Davao del Norte are now in full swing, the Department of Education (DepEd) said on Tuesday.

Included in these preparations are the trainings of student-athletes conducted by their respective coaches and the Physical Education and School Sports unit from various DepEd regional offices.

The country’s biggest sporting event for public and private elementary and high school students is scheduled May 3 to 9 with more than 10,000 young athletes from all over the country participating.

More than the selection of this year’s provincial host and the composition of the 2015 Palarong Pambansa committees, honing student athletes’ skills are the most essential and vital part of Palarong Pambansa, since its results are reflective of the growth of the country’s sports development program.

DepEd said students who display exemplary skills in the Physical Education curriculum through the school intramurals are chosen by their school heads to compete in the district athletic meets where champions are delegated to the division athletic meets. The cream of the crop are then brought to the regional athletic meets where the National Screening and Accreditation Committee will evaluate, verify and accredit eligible athletes for the Palarong Pambansa at least two months before the much-awaited national event.

DepEd Assistant Secretary for Legal and Administrative Affairs Tonisito Umali said that present rules state that athletes to be presented to the screening and accreditation committee are chosen by both their coaches and DepEd officials.

Besides these athletic meets, the Sports Track curriculum included in DepEd’s K-to-12 basic education program is another tool in preparing student-athletes for Palaro as well as their academic development should they wish to pursue a career in the athletic industry.

School year 2016 to 2017 marks the full implementation of senior high school (Grades 11 and 12) nationwide, where the said Sports Track curriculum offers subjects like fundamentals in coaching, fitness testing and basic exercise programming.

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