Unsportsmanlike behavior mars Cebu City's impressive showing Top DepEd-7 official chides parents, players of Niños elementary ballclub

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines – The 2009 Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) Meet formally dropped off its curtains yesterday with the Cebu City Niños being crowned as the overall champion for the nth time but unfortunately they left a 'bad impression' to all the competing delegations especially to the hosts.

At the Lamberto Macias Cultural and Sports Complex here, all the winners got a warm round of applause during the awarding ceremony except for the elementary basketball team of Cebu City because of the fiasco it stirred during its championship match against Dumaguete the other day.

The Niños, represented by Cebu Youth Basketball League (CYBL) champion University of San Carlos (USC)-North Campus, appeared to be 'sore losers' for the unsportsmanlike behavior they exhibited following their 46-52 loss to the Dumagueteños.

A small throng of Cebu supporters, who were mostly parents of the players, sparked an embarrassing scenario by questioning the capacities of the game officials to the point of throwing expletives and obnoxious remarks at them in a fit of anger.

So incensed and infuriated by the stingy defeat that a Cebu City player threw his shoe at the center of the court after they were booed by the Dumagueteños while going out of the playing court.

For their misdemeanor, they got a litany of scolding from no less DepEd-7 Physical Education and School Sports chief Dr. Vivian Giñete, who was very disappointed with the actuations of the parents which is inimical to the true essense of the annual sports meet - inculcate the value of sportsmanship to the athletes.

“The team did not receive any applause from the audience because of their behavior yesterday. I just hope that this scenario would not anymore happen in the Palarong Pambansa next month because most of the teams are from Cebu and we will be representing the Central Visayas,” said Ginete.

Giñete made it clear that beforehand, the officiating officials were really briefed by DepEd-7 regional director Recaredo Borgonia to be fair and should have integrity in officiating the games.

On the other hand, Dumaguete City Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Tess Sun-Lim commended Cebu City coach Vernini Tangarorang for issuing an apology right after the incident, even as she offered some words of wisdom for the concerned parents.

 “We are not angry but we would like to stress this out that the parents should not have done that because they must set a good example to their kids for the sake of sportsmanship,” Lim said.

“It’s okay that they will cheer for the team but what they had done was beyond the limits. They did not think ahead before acting, they did not know that the adverse impression carried the entire Cebu City delegation,” Lim added.

For his part, DepEd supervisor Dr. Danilo Villadolid said the issue is something that must be properly addressed so it won't happen in the future.

"One issue that will be discussed during the evaluation (of our CVIRAA participation) is the parents’ behavior and we need to do something about it,” said Villadolid.

Meanwhile, Villadolid said they will start right away making recommendations for the athletes thatwill form part of the Central Visayas contigent to the Palarong Pambansa slated from April 26 to May 2 in Tacloban City. – THE FREEMAN