Sports that kids play

Javi Benitez, 13, is the winningest young racing champion, with four major trophies at the recent Golden Wheel Awards, the Philippine Junior Karter of the Year title and other honors in Macau and Malaysia races.

Katrice delos Reyes, 15, is an ice skating champion who has joined local and international competitions.

Atenean Anton Asistio, 13, is a junior basketball player whose team won in the Small Basketeers Philippines (SBP), which was proclaimed National Champions of the 2007 to 2008. Soccer player Sara Castañeda, on the other hand, won the ladies 14 and under division in the Costa Blanca Cup ‘08 and is the Most Valuable Player for the La Salle Football Fiesta’s 12 and under age group.

All agree sports has given them self-discipline, instilled the spirit of competitiveness and bestowed on them the gift of a sound mind in a sound body.

“Those who are not good in sports have difficulty moving around,” the articulate Sarah observes.

“Sports has taught me to practise to achieve something I want,” future heartthrob Javi adds.

Sports has also flung wide open the doors of TV hosting for them. Javi, Katrice, Anton and Sara take time out from their books and athletic activities to host Sports Kidz every Saturday, 11 to 11:30 a.m. on Studio 23. The show, now on its fourth season, is all about the active lifestyle that keeps these kids all fired up and ready to go, day in and day out.

The segment Hype Sports Events, for instance, is akin to a sports clinic. Schooled features sports personalities. Out of Bounds tells viewers anything they want to know about sports. What a Fact is about sports trivia delivered, not in a formal, boring way, but in a funky, engaging manner.

Old School talks about old-time favorite games children no longer play, like siato and patintero. It has the latest updates on sports legends like Caloy Loyzaga and Robert Jaworski. All the Right Moves is an instructional feature on various sports and how to prevent accidents like torn ligaments and others. MVP presents the most valuable players in school while Tekkie Muna features various sports technology from breakthroughs in shoes, sportswear, gadgets and others.

Exhilarating and novel as hosting is, the kids are level-headed enough to know it’s not forever.

“I finish my homework and study first so I can host on weekends,” says Anton, whose dad told him to do well in school before he can continue playing in the hard court.

Javi knows he has to “save some, spend some” where his hosting salary is concerned. Now that he’s earning his keep for the first time, the Xavier student is making sure he enjoys his money while stashing some away for the proverbial rainy days.

The newest host on the Sports Kidz block, Sara is pinning her hopes, not on hosting career when she grows up, but on becoming a stewardess “because I love to travel.”

Whatever their dreams are, these kiddie hosts will always act their age, on or off camera. Unlike adults, they will never put up a front. They will say what they want to say, do what they want to do, provided their parents don’t object.

Anton and Javi will continue gorging on hotdogs and will not hide the fact that they love it to the max. Anton will make no bones about how he hates his Science subject because “I don’t like experiments!”

Javi will voice out dislike for the Evolution Theory and questions about God’s existence.

Kids will always be kids: Spontaneous, transparent, no-holds-barred. That’s what makes the four kiddie hosts so refreshing to see on TV, week in and week out.

This is Sports Kidz’s edge. The hosts talk about what they enjoy most. The fun spirit is not put-on, it’s as real as each of their hard-earned tournament medals. And that’s what matters most, not only to them, but to the audience as well.