Bachmann eyes extra cash reward for coaches

The Philippines Sports Commission (PSC) wants to increase the incentives received by the athletes’ coaching staffs amid the country’s success in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2024 Paris Olympics.

PSC chairman Richard “Dickie” Bachmann said he wants the coaching staff to be rewarded for their services for the country as well as the coaches that helped specific athletes.

According to Republic Act 10699, national athletes’ coaches receive an amount equal to 50 percent of the athlete’s total cash incentive.

If the athlete has more than one coach the amount will be shared.

“I need the legislators’ help. Currently, 100 percent of incentives go to athletes and 50 percent goes to coaches,” Bachmann said.

“But we all have to understand that the NSA (national sports association) does the work so I’m hoping that we can add 25 percent that goes to the NSA and then I also understand that some athletes and sports have more than one coach so another 25 percent can actually go to the coaching staff.”

“Because my experience here in the Olympics was that some coaches didn’t get incentives. So I’m hoping that we can all come together and give incentives to everyone who got involved and who prepared the athletes for winning a medal.”

The country’s gold medalists, Hidilyn Diaz of weightlifting and Carlos Yulo of gymnastics, proved that a coaching staff specifically for them will make them world-class.

Diaz’s staff, known as “Team HD,” consists of coach Kaiwen Gao, dietician Jeaneth Aro, psychologist Dr. Karen Katrina Trinidad, strength and conditioning coach Julius Naranjo, who was key to her lift in the Tokyo Summer Games after winning the women’s 55-kilogram category.

‘Once that is approved for all our elite athletes that can be a place where we can actually train.’

For Yulo, he had coach Aldrin Castañeda, former Olympic gymnastics judge Nedal Al-Yousef of Syria, and sports occupational therapist Hazel Calawod on his side as he clinched gold medals in the floor exercise and vault in the 2024 Paris Games.

Bachmann said he hopes the PSC will be able to utilize the facilities of New Clark City in Tarlac for the national athletes as soon as possible.

“It is already approved and in the third reading. Now we’re waiting on the Senate to actually start talking about it and having it donated to PSC,” Bachmann said.

“Once that is approved for all our elite athletes that can be a place where we can actually train.”