The many more Ealas among our youth

In one of the most elite sports in the world, a Filipina has demonstrated our country’s ability to spawn world-class athletes, yet again. Tennis sensation Alexandra Eala won the Mubadala DC Open in Washington by beating the world number 3 and tournament top seed, Jessica Pegula of the United States, in three sets (4-6, 6-4, 6-0).

On her way to the finals, Eala demolished four tennis heavyweights. In the first round, she defeated reigning Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen in three sets (4-6, 6-4, 6-1). In the round of 16, she vanquished reigning tournament champion Leylah Fernandez in two sets (6-2, 7-6). In the quarterfinals, she conquered world no. 10 and tournament second seed Elina Svitolina in two sets (6-3, 6-4). In the semifinals, she routed four-time Grand Slam champion and world no. 13 Naomi Osaka in two sets (6-4, 6-2).

Eala is not the only Philippine citizen who is making a huge impression in the most prestigious tennis tournaments. Filipino fans who are flocking to watch her games in droves are becoming the envy of tennis players and the joy of tournament organizers. Her fans are filling up the spectator seats in unprecedented numbers, and they are energetically expressing their support for Eala in ways that are tremendously helping tennis grow worldwide.

Article continues after this advertisement

Even this early in her career, Eala is guaranteed to have her place in the pantheon of Filipino sports heroes who have bested competitors from the rest of the world. Among these sports heroes are the following: Gabriel “Flash” Elorde, who achieved a record-breaking seven-year title reign in the boxing world; Carlos “Caloy” Loyzaga, who is regarded as the greatest Filipino basketball player of all time and who helped our country earn the best finish ever by an Asian country, a bronze medal, at the 1954 FIBA Basketball World Championship; our duo of bowlers, Paeng Nepomuceno and Bong Coo, who became six-time and four-time world bowling champions, respectively; Manny Pacquiao, who won an unprecedented 12 major world titles across eight different weight divisions; Efren “Bata” Reyes, who won more than 70 international titles in billiards; Hidilyn Diaz, who won an Olympic gold medal in weightlifting; and Carlos Yulo, who won two gold medals in Olympic gymnastics.

A few hours before Eala’s championship game started, I was in a meeting with two public school teachers in our hometown in Alcala, Cagayan. We were discussing the support needed for our current chess program and our planned football program, starting with several public elementary schools and high schools in our town. With the support of friends, I had provided 45 chess sets, and I committed next to provide chess time clocks for our town’s chess program. I undertook to tap our local government to provide the logistics for a municipal-wide chess tournament in time for our upcoming town fiesta. For the football program, some friends and I have committed to provide goalposts, uniforms, balls, and possibly shoes to be distributed to several schools where we intend to pilot a football program.

From what I’ve consistently seen in the provinces, we have many young people who are potential world-class athletes in the kind of sports where we can excel given our physique and skill set. However, their exceptional talents do not bloom to full world-class status because they don’t get the needed support and exposure. Our athletes who have excelled in world competitions must be extraordinarily talented and exceptionally skilled because they attained world-class standing despite the lack or the inadequacy of governmental support, compared to the foreign athletes they have beaten who enjoyed full assistance and incentives from their own governments.

Apart from supporting our athletes for the glory and honor of family, community, and country, it is highly essential to cultivate and integrate sports activities as a core part of basic education for our children. Sports will equip them with the more important kind of learning that they won’t acquire in the classroom, and which is many times more valuable and ultra useful in real life. These are teamwork, discipline, grit or perseverance, strategic thinking, and acceptance of defeat, all of which are super critical life skills. Sports also substantially reduce screen time, which is proving harmful to the mental and physical well-being of our children.

Article continues after this advertisement

It is bad enough that our educational system fails to recognize the indispensable contribution of sports in preparing our children for the harsh realities of the world. It gets even worse with the recent recommendation of the Commission on Higher Education to remove from college holistic subjects—art appreciation, the contemporary world, and ethics—which enhance our children’s creativity, humanity, and empathy, and which will prevent them from turning into mere toiling robots.

We celebrate Alexandra Eala’s stunning success. May her triumph prompt us to make our schools nurturing havens for the many more Ealas among our youth, and for them to succeed in sports and in life.

—————-

Article continues after this advertisement

Comments to fleamarketofideas@gmail.com