Returns with virtual tiffs

PUTTING premium on the health and safety of its student-athletes, the NCAA is pulling all the stops for the successful holding of an extraordinary Season 96 which is about to hit the ground running tomorrow with the opening ceremonies.

The new season, which is very much different than the previous years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will actually begin on Monday with the online taekwondo competitions.

NCAA Policy Board president Fr. Clarence Marquez, OP of host Letran, is happy with the way the preparations are going for Season 96, which was supposed to open in August last year but was postponed due to the public health crisis.

“The student-athletes have been exercising protocols in place by the IATF,” said Marquez during yesterday’s online press conference.

The virtual taekwondo tournaments will feature poomsae on June 14-17 and speed kicking on June 19-July 5, with a television coverage through its league’s new partner GMA.

Online chess, together with other skill competition in basketball and volleyball, will follow depending on the IATF protocols that the NCAA is adhering.

As earlier announced, there will be no contact sports for Season 96.

“We refuse to be immobilized by COVID-19. It is the manifestation of our character that the NCAA to showcase our resilience, creativity. We will rise up stronger,” said the league’s Management Committee chairman Fr. Vic Calvo of host Letran.

GMA Network first vice president Oli Amoroso said that the opening festivities will feature the a segment on ten member-schools and performances from the network’s prized talents.

“They were all participative with regards to the oath of sportsmanship. Took GMA awhile to pull that off, while complying with protocols,” said Amoroso.

Now the country’s leading broadcast network, GMA will be the league’s coveror until 2026, with the games to be aired on GTV, with the men’s basketball Finals to be given a Channel 7 treatment.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Theodore P. Jurado