There’s great concern and excitement about the national boxing team which did wonders in the last Southeast Asian Games in Singapore.
This is all to be expected.
Many people wanted to help, as though the quest for an Olympic gold medal could be fast-tracked.
That’s just normal.
* * *
We had suggested inviting Hall-of-Fame trainer Freddie Roach to help out. But only after the main official behind the training of the national boxing team said they could benefit from the aggressive and compelling combat style of Manny Pacquiao.
From what we’ve learned, Roach may not fit into the rigid Olympic system because he’s an expert at training 12-round warriors.
An Olympic boxing bout lasts for only three rounds at most.
* * *
Anyway, the Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines (Abap) has announced that its immediate goal is to qualify as many boxers as possible for next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Ed Picson, Abap executive director, said the best they could say after the triumphant campaign in Singapore is that they’re on target.
He added it’s a lot better now than where they stood four years ago while preparing for the London Olympics, where the Philippines managed to qualify only one boxer.
* * *
“There was a shorter time frame, and we had to go through the learning curve,” Picson explained.
Picson said they’re following a strict well-researched program for the Olympic quest, relying mostly on Filipino coaches. One foreign coach, Kevin Smith of Britain, had been of tremendous help until he was forced to join and train the Australian national boxing team.
Yesterday, one report came about certain sports officials coming up with an unsolicited advice on how to prepare the national boxers for the Olympic quest.
“Part of the proposal is to bring in more coaches from different countries, who should train our boxers for a month or two and then transfer their knowledge to our local coaches,” the report said.
* * *
Picson said the report was not very accurate.
They’re indeed in the hunt for one who could step in for Smith, but what they would like to avoid is hiring a foreign mentor on a wholesale basis.
Picson said they’ve got to be extra careful lest they end up with experts trying to fix what’s not broken.
He mentioned the danger of these foreigners meddling and muddling up what so far has proven a commendable system of training.
“I honestly believe that, on our own, we’re on the right track ,” Picson said.