Waiting for 2015

Now just as you’re holding on to the last peso from your 13th-month pay and waiting for the next payday in January to save you, 2015 is sneaking up fast on us.

We’re still recovering from everything we ate and drank this December while making empty promises to exercise and sweat out more next year.

But where are we really? You’re probably sprawled in bed and wondering what hit us this month.

The same thing can be said of Philippine sports in 2014. We were treated to victories on different fronts but controversies and debacles still hounded us. In the days ahead, the other parts of your Inquirer Sports section will take care of rehashing those great moments and the slips of the year that’s ready to say goodbye.

We remain hopeful that 2015 will be a much better year. We pray for more victories and opportunities to salute the skills and heart of the Filipino athlete that we know is really in abundance, if nurtured well.

There are some fronts that we hope will turn out more triumphs. These include:

Gilas Pilipinas—New head coach Tab Baldwin has already witnessed how passionate this country is with its national pastime. He was there when Gilas rode the crest of national thanksgiving and euphoria in the Fiba Asia and saw as well how bitter we can be when things don’t go too well.

It will be a formidable task but if Baldwin continues to get the players he wants and the logistical support of Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas, then there could be a turnaround for Philippine basketball. The targets, of course, are finally winning the Fiba Asia tournament and returning to the Olympics.

The country has not participated in Olympic basketball since the Munich Summer Games in 1972. We may never really win a place on the podium on the final day but we can stir the cauldron and show that the Filipino is still one of the best players in the world. The last World Championship clearly showed that we can compete on the world stage, given the right breaks to do so.

Volleyball—The leadership of Philippine volleyball is at a standstill with at least two factions differing on how to capitalize on the popularity of the sport. The Philippine Olympic Committee has already initiated steps to end the row but it seems that instead of volleyball, the game’s officials would rather play tug-of-war.

In the crossfire are two national teams ready to return to the Southeast Asian Games. Their participation is in peril if the leadership differences are not settled. It’s sad because if we learned anything from an Alyssa Valdez-led team in the Asean University Games, we can compete in the sport.  Valdez’s team brought home a bronze medal and had coaches from other countries wondering if there was a new volleyball blitz coming from the Philippines.

Football—The Azkals brought us to several levels of excitement this year but just fell slightly short of giving the country a football title. Our Asean neighbors already know that we are on a football resurgence and are beefing up as well for future friendlies and tournaments.

We’re just beginning to learn to appreciate how homegrown talents and overseas-based half-Filipinos with immense club experience from abroad can combine for a national team. That’s why the move to get younger and more talented players is a move in the right direction for the Azkals.

We will tackle other sports in our next piece this week. In the meantime, enjoy what’s left of 2014 and savor the arrival of a great new year!

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