GRATEFUL BEYOND WORDS
Sisters of Mary in seventh heaven for historic 3x3 event
The nuns running the Sisters of Mary School are literally in seventh heaven after witnessing a FIBA (International Basketball Federation) record being set in the highly successful Chooks-to-Go Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas (SBP) 3X3 Basketball Festival at their Minglanilla and Talisay campuses over the weekend.
Overall, the two schools were able to host the massive 3X3 tourney that saw a total of 3,036 kids play their hearts out across nearly 100 half-courts right inside their campuses to easily break the previous FIBA-record of 1,898 for the biggest 3x3 basketball event.
But apart from carving records and providing points for the country’s FIBA rankings, the two campuses were also recipients of a monthly P100,000 grant or a total of P2.4 million from Chooks-to-Go to assist thousands of underprivileged kids from all corners of the nation.
For that, the SMS sisters are grateful beyond words for being part of a historical event that did not only establish a world mark but also help the SBP in its goal of ramping up the Philippines' 3x3 world rankings and eventually put up a Phl 3X3 team in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
As such, the sisters are eager to open their doors once again to Chooks-to-Go and SBP in the future.
“If it is really for the benefit of our students, why not?” said Girlstown’s Sister Eva Aringo, SM. “Our students are happy, and if our students learn many things from these kinds of events, why not continue? Our desire is to always make our students happy and satisfied.”
Such endeavors fall right in place with the vision of their Founding Father, the Venerable Aloysius Philip Schwartz.
“Wish ng aming father founder na ang mga estudyante they will become always active,” said Sister Aringo. “In fact, our father founder is also athletic, so he is also super active. He was very busy, but also active in sports.”
“So our students also, not only academically, but we want them to develop holistically, so kaya kailangan nila maging active every now and then. That is also their teambuilding para sila’y magkasama-samang naglalaro at masaya sila.”
Likewise, SMS Athletic Director Van Halen Parmis expressed his profound gratitude to those who, in one way or another, have greatly helped in the success of their ground-breaking endeavor.
"It is with a grateful heart that we thank the people involved in this historic feat. To Chooks-to-Go President Ronald Mascariñas, thank you for having this advocacy of instilling nationalism through sports amongst the youth of our country especially," said Parmis.
"To SBP Executive Director Sonny Barrios, that you for the sacrifices you’ve made especially in making this event possible."
Parmis also thanked the Cebu Provincial Sports Commission (CPSC) through its chairman Michel J. Lhuillier and executive director Atty. Ramil P. Abing for their all-out support from the beginning of the Aloysian Sports Grassroots Program.
"It is indeed a dream come true that for the two years journey of the sports program, we have reached a milestone and perhaps made history in setting a world record for most kids playing 3x3 basketball," said Parmis.
"And to all the students, the “history makers” who actively played and showcased the lively spirit of the Sisters of Mary School, thank you so much. All of you are indeed Fr. Al’s miracle," ended Parmis, referring to the venerable founder father of Sisters of Mary School.