The next generation
Boxing icon Manny Pacquiao bade goodbye to his sport Saturday night in Las Vegas, thanking all his fans for their support. That support was mainly in the form of cheering him on and offering prayers.
For reaching the top and staying there, however, Pacquiao relied principally on his own resources, with only a regular pat on the back from the government. A video documentary credited his rigorous, professional training in the United States for turning him into one of the world’s most valuable boxers.
With his announced retirement, the question is whether the Philippines can produce more world-class boxing champions, without having to send them overseas for training. The land of Manny Pacquiao has yet to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing. Would it take Pacquiao himself, shedding his professional status, to bag that elusive gold for the country?
Filipinos are big sports fans, but sports development appears to be deteriorating, based on the performance of the country’s amateur athletes in regional and international competitions. Athletes have complained of inadequate resources and government support to undergo the necessary training to successfully compete in their sports.
Other countries understand the importance to national pride of excelling in sports, and pour significant resources into sports development. Recruitment in several countries starts as early as grade school, when children show interest and talent in certain athletic activities. Throughout their years of training, state support is given not only to the athletes but also to their families.
Aside from the need for proper equipment and efficient coaches, training for world- class athletic performance eats up a lot of time, affecting formal education and, in the case of older amateur athletes, requiring them to take time off from their jobs. They cannot focus on disciplined, rigorous training if they are worrying about job security.
Pacquiao may be one of a kind and it may take many years before another boxer like him comes around again, anywhere in the world. But there is no reason why his country should not try finding potential successors and giving them the necessary support.