In an interview with SunStar Davao on Monday, April 22, SDD-CMO head Mikey Aportadera said the Balik Aktibo Program targets to train around 300 to 400 sports coordinators from the Department of Education (DepEd)-Davao City Division to teach them how to properly teach student-athletes regarding overall sports wellness.
“We will train the coaches and sports coordinators again but this time (we will) teach them to properly warm up their athletes (and how) to avoid injuries,” Aportadera said, adding that the sports coordinators will be taught by partner sports-trained physical therapists of SDD-CMO.
He added, “Ang importante is ang athlete is (taught) properly warmed up sa para maiwasan ang injury, anong gagawin sa first aid, and attending to sport injuries (What’s important is the athletes will learn how to properly warm up, avoid injuries, and attend to sports injuries if ever).”
Aportadera said the training will be conducted into three modules for the initial implementation and may introduce additional modules to the sports coordinators once the need arises.
He added that almost all sports coordinators from DepEd-Davao City Division Schools will have the opportunity to learn and be trained.
Afterward, they will manage student-athletes in the elementary grade levels and slowly transcend to high school student-athletes.
The Balik Aktibo Dabawenyo program will be benefit hundreds of student-athletes in Davao City, especially when they join local and national sports tournaments in the future.
Apotadera said SDD-CMO aims to launch the program within the year.
“First time daw ni (It’s the first time) that the local government unit provided them with the technology and technicality on how to handle athletes properly. So nalipay pud ang DepEd-Davao City Division na gitagaan namo sila og (The DepEd-Davao Davao City Division is happy we gave them the) opportunity to learn how it should be,” he said.