FILE – Dickie Bachmann is the new UAAP Commissioner. –INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The UAAP on Wednesday has named Richard “Dickie” Bachmann as its basketball commissioner this UAAP Season 85 until next year.
Host school Adamson opted to break the tradition of selecting the commissioner for basketball and volleyball and instead school sought the entire UAAP Board of Managing Directors (BMD) for the final approval of Bachmann’s hiring until Season 86 in 2023.
“Executive Director Atty. Rebo Saguisag formed a search committee that screened applicants and nominees and came up with a shortlist which was presented to the BMD. After painstaking deliberation by the BMD, it was Mr. Richard Bachmann who stood out,” said UAAP Season 85 President Fr. Aldrin Suan, CM.
“We are excited to have him and see him execute his expertise and vision for our basketball tournaments, not just this season but also for UAAP Season 86,” he added.
Same will also be the process for selecting the volleyball commissioner this season.
‘FULL CIRCLE’
Bachmann, who studied at La Salle from 1986 to 1991 and played for the Green Archers, vows to improve the league officiating in his two-season term as he returns to the UAAP, this time as a commissioner.
“It’s like going full circle, starting out as a player to an assistant coach then, later on, team manager and team governor and now to a commissioner, I’m really blessed and grateful for this opportunity. And the UAAP was the place it all started for me, that’s what excites me the most,” said the former Alaska Aces team governor, who graduated from La Salle with a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce, Major in Business Management.
“My main task is improving the officiating of the league, a one-year term on any commissioner is not enough. There should be continuity through training and they also need to call some games outside of the UAAP which will be also supervised by us.”
The need for continuity in officiating was the main reason why the league gave two seasons for the new commissioner, said Saguisag.
“The UAAP is aligned with Commissioner Bachmann’s vision of referee development. With his recommendation, we will have him on board for the next two UAAP seasons. This is not just for the UAAP but for the entire collegiate basketball landscape, and perhaps the nation’s as well,” Saguisag said.
Bachmann, who is also the PBA 3×3 chairman, is currently selecting the pool of referees that will be used by the league for men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, which will begin on October 1 in the Season 85 opener, as well as high school boys ’and girls’ divisions, and 3×3 basketball.
He will also consult the head coaches of the eight participating schools to hear their suggestions for improvement of the league’s officiating.
“Basically, they asked me my plans for the referees. I said that I’d rather have a pool that I can control, a collection of referees from various leagues and groups,” said Bachmann. “I’m going to meet each team. I would rather go to each school and meet each head coach to know their experiences from past seasons. I’m going to listen to them and see the positives and negatives of past seasons so we can improve on those.”