TSU hosts SCUAA III Olympics
After its last hosting in 2010, Tarlac State University Firefox is now afire as Dr. Myrna Q. Mallari, president of TSU, officially opened the 2018 State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association III (SCUAA III) Olympics at the Tarlac Recreational Park Sports Complex with a homecourt advantage, vying for a higher spot in the region with this year’s theme, “The will to win within.”
The sky is perfect with ash gray clouds as the collision of colors started the opening ceremony with the parade of athletes from different schools in the region. Athletes, accompanied by their sports directors and officials, were presented and assembled in the field.
Tarlac Province Governor Susan Yap and Tarlac City Mayor Maria Cristina Angeles extended their words of hospitality as they highlighted the importance of sports in the total human development of every student.
Angeles encouraged everyone to support local athletes to prepare them in a bigger field while Yap pushed the athletes to train hard with discipline as she motivated them to aim high and achieve higher possibilities because “our youth is our future.”
Senator Sonny Angara, meanwhile, graced the opening ceremony and lightened the atmosphere with his pickup lines while seriously discussing the insufficient support of the government in the sports sector.
Angara reiterated his support to the SUCs in their campaign to elevate the quality of sports facilities and athletes through the allocation of necessary funds.
“Walang mabiilis na daan sa sports. There are no shortcuts, only sacrifices, but that is what makes winning even sweeter,” Angara said as he ended his speech persuading the coaches not to stop honing talents.
The sun got brighter when the lighting of cauldron took place. Ronan Isaac Abagat led the lighting of torch together with the other National SCUAA Gold medalists. The lighting of the SUCO-III 2018 cauldron signifies unity and camaraderie among the participating SUCs in the region.
“I just cherish every remaining SCUAA moment I have,” Abagat said, who is on his last year of playing after his four consecutive years of gold medal finishes in the national games.
An emphatic silent drill exhibition from the Cadet Officers of Regalia Batallion Class of 2019 mesmerized the crowd followed by the closing remarks of DC-SUC III CIRPS President Cornelio Garcia.
“I envisioned Region 3 to be the overall champion for National SCUAA 2020,” Garcia stated, leaving a strong message that set the note high for Central Luzon’s best athletes and teams. [By Arsenio Santiago Jr., reprinted from The Work SUC III Olympics Special Coverage]