CESAFI mulls 12-under division

The Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI), primarily known as the biggest collegiate athletic league with a high school component in the Visayas, is taking steps that would distinguish it from other major collegiate leagues even those from Manila by adding a 12-under division.

This season, plans are already in motion to add a 12-under division in the basketball competition, with the Sisters of Mary School for Boys as one of the guest teams.

“The athletic directors are all for it since this means they can start developing their Cesafi basketball teams early,” said CESAFI commissioner Felix Tiukinhoy.

Though almost all the CESAFI member schools have elementary basketball teams, they only start identifying their CESAFI players once they reach high school. Most of the teams with basketball programs already have their SBP and Paserelle teams and adding a CESAFI 12-under age group is expected to complement their programs.

It is not only basketball that CESAFI is looking to add an 12-under division but also in football and in chess, two sports where Cebu has a rich history of winning national titles.

“No one mentioned it in the meeting when I raised adding the elementary division, but we can also do it in football and in chess,” said Tiukinhoy. “In chess, it’s in the elementary division that we have really great players.”

Don Bosco Technical College, which has won several Palarong Pambansa titles in the elementary level, welcomes the move.

“It will give the players another 11-a-side tournament and will be good for the development of the sport,” said DBTC football coach Ray Calo.

Tiukinhoy plans to hold the CESAFI football tournament in the second semester but Calo thinks it could be possible to hold it together with the high school and college divisions since only four of the CESAFI members have elementary football teams—DBTC, University of San Jose-Recoletos, Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu and the University of San Carlos.

With the elementary basketball division having a guest team in Sisters of Mary, the elementary football division may also get guest team in Paref-Springdale and Lahug Elementary School, to make it a six-team contest.

On the other hand, Cebu’s oldest chess group, the Cebu Executives and Professionals Chess Association laud CESAFI’s plan of adding an elementary division in chess.

“We would be very happy if that plan will be realized and we will give out all our support. It’s one of our objectives at CEPCA, to help in the development of chess especially in Cebu,” said Cepca president Jerry Maratas.

Some CESAFI members like USC, USJ-R and UC have had players who have excelled in the national level in the elementary division and giving the CESAFI members another tournament for chess is expected to benefit them.

“We have a big chance to excel in the sports not just nationally but worldwide, just like Wesley So. Basin taga Cebu ang mosunod niya nga naka apil sa CESAFI,” said Maratas.

So, the youngest GM from the Philippines is now one of the top 10 players in the world but sadly representing the United States and chess backers in the country are actively searching for the next “Wesley So.”—

CESAFI