By Antonio L. Colina IV and Armando B. Fenequito Jr.

DAVAO CITY – The University of the Philippines-Mindanao (UPMin) plans to open a College of Human Kinetics in two years to boost the skills of the Mindanawon players who have the potential to excel in sports, UP President Danilo L. Concepcion.

Concepcion said they have already started planning for the offering of the new course, as they wanted to complement the establishment of the world-class, P8-billion Davao City-UP Sports Complex at the UPMin campus in Tugbok district here.

“We have observed very few athletes are being recruited from Mindanao maybe because there are not many sports facilities in Mindanao where the students in Mindanao can train in,” he said.

He said they wanted to position UP as one of the leading schools in the world by offering courses that are related to sports.

He said the proposed establishment of a new college will have to be reviewed by the university council, undergo a feasibility study, and similar other requirements that will be needed by the students that may require more financial resources.

He said they expect more athletes from Mindanao to shine in national sporting events with the opening of a 20-hectare sports complex.

Concepcion signed with Mayor Sara Duterte a memorandum of agreement on Thursday for the partnership in the management and operation of the sports complex.

“Alam ninyo ang sikreto ng pagiging malakas ng team halimbawa sa sports event ay nasa quality ng manlalaro. Hindi po tayo medyo nakaka-pagrecurit ng maraming manlalaro dito sa Mindanao kasi po kulang ang facilities para magkaroon ng pagsasanay ang mga estudyante natin dito sa Mindanao (You know the secret to becoming a strong team, for example, in sports event is in the quality of the players. But we are not able to recruit many players from Mindanao because of lack of facilities where the players can do their trainings)” he said.

He said they hope more Mindanawon athletes could be recruited in the next three to four years to compete in the national leagues such as the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).

He said the sports complex could drastically boost the skills of the potential players.

“Kung wala kang training hindi ka rin gagaling na athlete, hindi ka rin marerecruit to compete in leagues such as the UAAP (If you lack training you will not become a good athlete, you will not be recruited to compete in leagues such as UAAP),” he said.

The sports complex worth P8 billion broke ground in 2015 after then mayor and now President Rodrigo R. Duterte struck a deal with the university for the donation of 20 hectares for the sports facilities.

The sports complex has a training gym, multipurpose building, football field, track oval equipped with FIFA-tested and certified artificial turf, and Aquatics Center.

Mayor Sara Duterte said the city will use the sports complex as it hosts the Davao Regional Athletic Association (DAVRAA) Meet 2019 from January 27 to February 2 and Palarong Pambansa 2019 in April.