Last Updated on February 10, 2023 by Andrew Pirie
OPEN LETTER TO TERRY CAPISTRANO PRESIDENT OF PATAFA PART 1
Unlimited Chances? why we are falling behind in some events at SEA Games
With all due respect to Popoy Juico. If it was Michael Keon or a Keon-type leader running PATAFA. He would not be giving unlimited chances to coaches who were no longer productive. We can harp on all we want about Filam athletes. But the reality is we are falling further and further behind other SEA Countries in multiple events.
Furthermore, it was revealed that the National Athletes in December 2022 will be evaluated after the Weekly Relay Finals based on performance and output. Why not the coaches aswell based on performance and output at the last SEA Games??
Coaching Performances in the 2022 SEA Games
At the 2022 SEA Games, a total of 5 of 12 PATAFA coaches yielded 0 Individual Medals. This was an increase from 2019 when 3 PATAFA coaches delivered 0 Individual Medals. Dario De Rosas in 2019 was the highest performing coach again in terms of output, along with Buenavista who again was ranked in the top tier of coaching.
It was interesting to hear that PATAFA implemented a weird money-sharing scheme where all coaches even the ones that didnt yield any medals were given an equal share of the overall incentive money provided by the PSC.
9 of 23 individual medals came from non-national coached athletes (the majority of those from American coaches).
Regarding the additional 2 medals won in relays. We had 2 medals in relays 4×400 women and 4×400 mix. Both bronzes (with 3 entries only). In the Women’s 4×4 two of the 4 athletes had American coaches. In the 4×4 mix, three athletes were from coach Julius Nierras and 1 from John Lozada.
Two of these I will highlight in my next two writeups are the 400 and 4×400, and Women’s Middle Distance, and there are various reasons why.
400 and Mens 4×400
I honestly think after that loss in the Mens 4×400 and no medal in individual men’s and women’s 400 for the last 2 SEA Games. PATAFA seriously needs to make some coaching changes.
WE NEED A COACH who can get 4 guys to 46-47 seconds, not a team where we have to field 48 guys. We won’t get the top 3 if this situation continues.
And if Malaysia and Indonesia decide to field teams could even drop down to 5th or 6th in 2023.
Women’s Middle Distance
Now with Women’s Middle Distance 3, Palaro Record Holders went to UAAP Colleges. That is not just the Palaro Champion but the Palaro Record Holder. So these 3 UAAP schools got the BEST EVER Athletes from Palaro but failed to deliver a clear pathway of improvement in their respective events.
And all three of them failed to improve on their times from their High School Coaches. If we have girls running 2:12-2;13 in High school. They should be at least Under 2:10 over the next 4-5 years at the college level. 2:08-2:09 is good enough for bronze in SEA Games 800. What Happened???
Those are my previews of what’s coming in terms of writeups we will write a longer more in-depth writeup with the Facts. Athletics is a numbers game!!!
Furthermore, I will start posting charts, people will get angry but the truth hurts. What am I supposed to do play around with an endless Merry Go Round of hiding the facts Im not OBLIGATED to hide THE FACTS from anyone.
Continuing from my first open letter where I addressed the concern for the 400m particularly the Men’s and Women’s Middle Distance events.
Writeup Making the NEW PATAFA Leader aware of the current status quo in the Philippine Athletics System
Second Writeup Id like to start with the Old Saying
“Do Unto others that you would be done to yourself”
I start by saying that coaches go around poaching athletes. How would they feel if other coaches did the same thing to them?? I’m sure they would be the first to kick and scream.
Then let’s move to the second point ACCOUNTABILITY. If you recruit an athlete you are RESPONSIBLE for that athlete. And that also means Rehabilitation if any injuries happen.
A big issue right now with Universities around the Philippines is agreements are usually Verbal. There are no written agreements or legal protection in place for the athletes.
For this reason, a state college (this also includes UP which is a state college) seems like a safer bet. As education is free at state colleges. So if you lose your scholarship with a private university, at least the tuition is still free at a State College.
Also in some Private universities other things to consider.
1. Units are not accepted or transferable to other colleges so this means going back to Year 1 if you lose your scholarship and “Starting all over again”.
2. Tuition is not free. So if you lose a scholarship you will pay to go to school.
3. Residency rules of 1 playing year. This makes it less likely for another college/school to act as a safety net as most schools want fresh SHS graduates.
If a University coach cannot improve an athlete DO NOT BLAME THE HIGH SCHOOL coach.
If the athlete’s best performance ends up being at the Palarong Pambansa and that remains as their personal best performance throughout their entire university career.
An interesting feasible study would be how many of the Palaro Record Holders went on to further greatness.
With Track ovals open since January. And Three months’ worth of weekly relays.
If athletes are not improving during this time. They need to stop using the Pandemic as an excuse. Cause some coaches even without track ovals during the pandemic still had improvements and didn’t whine about the pandemic.
Maybe in 2020 and 2021, the pandemic could be played as an excuse card. But in 2022 the Pandemic being used as an excuse has already expired and passed its used date.
While the Magnitude of EJ’s achievements is the manifestation of years of sacrifice through hard work and testimony to Coach Petrov, Mr. Lafferty, EJ support teams and the Obiena Family, and all the people that are stuck by EJ. Unfortunately, EJ’s big victory does not reflect on the current state of Philippine Athletics in multiple other areas closer to home, which is very far from being a squeaky clean slate.
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Andrew was elected Vice President of the Association of Track and Field Statisticians in 2020 after being a member for 7 years.
He has worked as a PSC Consultant and Research Assistant from 2013-2015, Consultant, and Sprint Coach at Zamboanga Sports Academy from 2015-2017. And Currently is Consultant Coach with VMUF 2021-
Current editor and chief of Pinoyathletics.info, and has recently done consultancy work for Ayala Corp evaluating the Track and Field Program.
Coaches Sprints, Middle and Jump events he is Level 3 Athletics Australia Coaching Certification in Sprints and Hurdles.
Currently working towards a Masters Degree in Education.
He can be contacted on [email protected]
You can find more information on Coaching here
http://www.pinoyathletics.info/coaching-2/