CESAFI teams not keen on VAAA

Other schools that are members of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc (CESAFI) are not keen on joining the newly-formed Visayas Amateur Athletic Association (VAAA) unless the board tells them to do so.

This was the consensus among CESAFI coaches, who attended the weekly SCOOP Sports Forum yesterday at the Baseline Sports and Recreation Center.

"Why not support the CESAFI instead? It is already there and we should make it grow," said coach Raul Latonio Sr. of the University of Southern Philippines-Foundation, Inc.

While it is true the VAAA is promoting an inter-school basketball tournament, the CESAFI is also a school league. The coaches maintained that VAAA is a duplication of the CESAFI.

Cebu City Councilor Raul "Yayoy" Alcoseba, the organizer of VAAA, said the tournament will start in November right after the CESAFI.

University of the Visayas coach Elmer "Boy" Cabahug, for his part, asked where the team will go if ever it will become the VAAA champion.

"Asa man mi padulong human ana? Duna bay incentive kung ma-champion like for example apil ka didto sa Manila mo-represent sa Cebu," he said.

The CESAFI, now under the program of Pilipinas Baskeball as member, is seeing action in the Champions League every year.

UC Webmasters coach Roel Gomez said VAAA is just like "recycling of players".

He said "dili gyud nimo mahibaw-an kung asa gikan ang maayo nga players kay magbalhin-balhin ra man mentras kung usa lang ka lega, duna gyuy kaugalingong identity".

So far, only two CESAFI member schools have confirmed joining the VAAA in which Alcoseba had established connections. The schools are the University of San Jose-Recoletos, whom he coached in the late 70's and the SWU Cobras.