Co-written by Errvic Theodore Dela Cruz & Rafaela Baluyut | May 8 2024
Image: UP Baguio Team 2024 student-athletes at the CARASUC athletic meet. (Zea Mamaril)

Darwin Conrad Delizo, the coach of the University of the Philippines Baguio’s Men’s Basketball team (UPB MBT), has called for providing more support to student-athletes and offering sports programs following the university’s stint to Cordillera Administrative Region Association of State Universities and Colleges (CARASUC) athletic meet.

In an interview, Delizo said he believes offering such programs would allow student-athletes and varsities to focus more on core sports courses and require UPB to hire more coaches for the Human Kinetics Program (HKP).
“Malaking boost ‘yan sa UPB. Malaking tulong ‘yon. Magiging additional advertisement sa school and makapag-hikayat ng athletes to study in UPB,” Delizo added.

He also concluded that campus athletes can keep up with other state universities with proper sports programs and scholarships.

“Sa performance kayang-kaya makipag compete sa other state universities. Siguro and difference lang is scholar yung sakanila, literal na scholar for being an athlete, and I think yun yung isang kulang natin sa UPB,” Delizo explained.

UPB players also share similar sentiments with Delizo on the needed support for UPB athletes.

“Pag mas pinaganda ang program for varsities lalo gaganahan ang mga athletes na maglaro and improve. Need improvements pa sa facilities and attention sa players mula sa admins,” Edison Tomas stated.

“I can say na kinukulang pa ang UPB when it comes to these kinds of events, compared to other universities which had their own methods of transportations.Tapos yung sa mga athletes naman, meron pang pwedeng pag-improve-an yung training programs sa ibang sports and feel ko naman through the voices and sa mga pinapakita na passion and love for their respective games is kayang kaya maimprove yung program and tulong na pwede maprovide ng school for future athletes ng UPB,” Askia Hicban, a player of UPB MVT, added.

Just recently, UPB athletes bagged seven bronze medals in Basketball and Table Tennis events at the CARASUC athletic meet held from April 29 to May 3, 2024 in Apayao.

The UPB MBT placed third place in the Basketball 3x3 event under the coaching of Delizo. The Women’s Table Tennis team, which was under Coach Professor Fernando Florendo, also secured a spot in third place.

The campus also competed in the Women's and Men’s Volleyball tournaments and Men's Badminton tournaments.