- CHERYL G. CRUZ
Three girls’ softball teams from Bago City in Negros Occidental will compete in international competitions in the United States of America in July and August.
Twelve players each in the 12 under and 16 under categories, mostly from Ramon Torres National High School, will participate for the first time in the PONY (Protect Our Nation’s Youth) International World Series in McAllen, Texas from July 19 to 23.
The third team of 12 players will compete in the Little League Softball World Series (Junior Softball Girls) in Kirkland, USA, from July 30 to Aug. 5.
Bago Mayor Nicholas Yulo described these competitions as “very welcome developments, especially for our young players.”
He thanked the PONY officials, who arrived in the city June 5 for the launching of the PONY Baseball and Softball Visayan Region chapter, and for the opportunity given to Bago athletes.
PONY Philippines president Rodolfo Tingzon Jr. said they chose the city because they were inspired by the interest shown by Bagonhons on baseball and softball during their visit last year.
“We relayed all our findings to our international headquarters in the USA and they were so impressed by our report that we all decided that it was the right time to open a Visayan Region chapter (in Bago),” Tingzon said in his recent letter to Yulo.
He said they recognize the skills and abilities of the young softball players in the city, and are looking at Bago as a “farm” for women softball players”, the city said.
PONY International Asia Pacific head Takeharu Nasu, and Japan PONY Baseball Association director Tamami Kodemura, who also attended the launching at the Manuel Y. Torres Memorial Coliseum and Cultural Center in Bago, said in the press conference that this is the right time to launch the chapter after the COVID-19 pandemic.
It makes sense to start in this part of the country to promote baseball and softball, the foreign officials said, given the strong support of the Bago City government, and the past awards garnered by the softbelles.
The Bago Girls Junior softball team won third place when they competed for the first time in the 2022 World Series, also held in Kirkland, from July 31 to Aug. 6 last year.
The all-Bago softbelles also defended their Junior League title in the Little League Philippines Series national finals held April this year in Ilagan City, Isabela.
Yulo told the players at the launching to do their best in the upcoming competitions, adding the city has always been supportive of sports to hone one’s discipline and values.
The PONY delegation, meanwhile, turned over about 100 pieces of softball gloves, wristbands, badges, and flaglets at the launching also attended by PONY Visayas regional director Rey “Guy” Fuentes, DepEd Bago Schools Division Superintendent, Dr. Neri Anne Alibuyog, coaches, and school and city officials, among others./CGC
