Davao sports program intensified

DAVAO CITY — The local government here — through its City Sports Development Division — is set to heighten its “Aktibo Dabawenyo” program, a sports clinic is a free sports program primarily designed to find talented young athletes all over the city, train them, and help them realize their full potential in sports, this year.

Last year’s “Aktibo Dabawenyo” offered clinics in basketball, volleyball, football, skateboarding, chess, tennis and badminton and this year, the CSDD is looking at offering free swimming, archery and athletics clinics.

CSDD head Mickey Aportadera on Tuesday revealed that this year’s sport’s program will actively look for more underprivileged young athletes with the potential to represent the city in regional, national, and even international sports competitions.

“It will run for a year. We will partner with certain barangays that can host the programs in the city where they will select, through the help of the CSWDO and the village chiefs, out-of-school youths that we can probably develop with our medalists, coaches and trainers who partnered with the Sports Office,” Aportadera said.

He added that the CSDD has partnered with the City Social Welfare Development Office and the barangays for the selection of the sports clinic participants.

“We will look into the barangay level and identify potential athletes that can represent the city someday,” he said, adding that they will look for barangays with the appropriate facilities for certain sports and bring the sports clinic there.

“Dabawenyo coaches have expressed their commitment to help in the training and development of underprivileged young athletes in the city,” Aportadera said.

The sports program, he added, will not only train young athletes in their respective sports discipline, but will also educate them on Sports Science.