Members of the Philippine team, NCAA and Solar exectutives during a presscon on Wednesday. Photo by Bong Lozada/INQUIRER.net
Strong words from a strong man.
Carlos Valdez, Head of the National Cheerleading Competition, said Wednesday Filipino cheerleaders can win Olympic medals if cheerleading gets recognized as a sport in the world’s largest sporting spectacle.
“Once cheerleading becomes an Olympic sport, I can assure you, every four years we will have a medal,” Valdez said during the NCC’s announcement with Solar Entertainment for telecast rights of the cheerleading competition in Capitol Commons.
“We’ve been celebrated in Orlando, the Mecca of cheerleading.”
Valdez added the Philippines received a special award in Orlando after the Filipino contingent produced a podium finish in every competition in subtropical Florida.
Paula Nunag, a head judge of the NCC, said their partnership with Solar, which would last until 2018, would showcase cheerleading as a sport and not just an intermission number during the halftime break of basketball games.
“What we want to do is to show to the wider audience this is a sport, cheerleaders are athletes,” Nunag said. “They don’t just smile in front of the camera and look cute.”
“They work hard to improve, it’s a matter of levelling up.” CFC