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Fast-pitch softball, golf want to join Pacific Games
Marianas High School’s Jayna Lizama throws a pitch, while a Saipan Southern High School runner gets ready to steal third base during their title game in the 2013-2014 season of the MISO fast-pitch softball League at the Miguel “Tan Ge” Basa Pangelinan Ballfield. Fast-pitch softball is hoping to join the CNMI’s delegation to the 2015 Pacific Games in Papua New Guinea. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
Initially, the CNMI will be competing in only 5 of the 26 sports lined up for the 2015 Games with athletics beach volleyball, bodybuilding, lawn tennis, and triathlon confirming its participation to Northern Marianas Sports Association early this year.
Softball, after years of inactivity, wanted to join the list with Rose Ada-Hocog at the forefront of reviving the association. Ada-Hocog said their group must first get their charter to be recognized and accepted as a NMSA member.
“We just responded to NMSA’s request of reviving some sports that have been inactive for a long time. We need to get our association going,” added Ada-Hocog, who will furnish NMSA president Mike White a copy of their group’s charter for review.
White has also requested Ada-Hocog to include men’s softball under their new group since NMSA recognizes only one federation.
Ada-Hocog added that she and several former female fast-pitch softball players are helping train a group of high school girls, while male players are also willing to get a team organized.
Tony Rogolifoi, meanwhile, said that they plan to hold tryouts for the CNMI golf team before the end of the year to give the selected players a chance to practice and train before the July quadrennial sporting event.
“I will check with the group first but the tryout is open to all golfers who are qualified under the Pacific Games eligibility rules,” said Rogolifoi.
The Pacific Games Council’s eligibility rules allow athletes who are citizens of the country they are representing to compete and they should have resided there for five straight years.
NMSA is asking all sports federations competing in PNG next year to submit their entries by the end of the year.
In related news, Jordan Kosam, who is currently off-island, has also mentioned to White that he plans to send a shooting team to the Pacific Games.
Other sports to be played in next year’s Games are basketball, beach soccer, boxing, cricket, football, hockey, karate, lawn bowls, powerlifting, rugby 7s, rugby league, squash, table tennis, taekwondo, touch rugby, va’a, volleyball, weightlifting, and the medal rich swimming. (Jon Perez)
