Nat’l players on NMBA board; group sets priorities

Officials and members of the Northern Marianas Badminton Association pose for a photo after their election last Friday at the NMBA Gym. (Contributed Photo)

Three national team players made it to the Northern Marianas Badminton Association board as the group held its election of officers last Friday at the NMBA Gym.

Nate Guerrero, Andreau Galvez, and Janelle Pangilinan, who represented the CNMI to the 2019 Pacific Games in Apia, Samoa, will be joining the NMBA board led by president Merlie Tolentino.

Guerrero was elected vice president, while Galvez and Pangilinan were voted directors along with Chris Hilario and Hannah Choi. Completing the NMBA officers list are treasurer Shirley Kim and secretary general Christy Villaflor.

“On behalf of the NMBA board, we would like to thank our members for their vote of confidence. We’ve a lot of work ahead of us in these challenging times, but we’re positive that through the support and commitment of our members and officials, we will be able to continue the development of the sport of badminton in the CNMI,” said Tolentino.

Pangilinan, meanwhile, welcomed her new responsibility as part of the NMBA board.

“I’m very honored to be on the NMBA board. Now, I will become more involved with what’s happening in NMBA as a whole, not just with the national team,” Pangilinan said.

Pangilinan added that NMBA members’ support will be crucial, especially this year and next, as the association prepares for the islands’ hosting of the Pacific Mini Games for the first time.

Northern Marianas Badminton Association president Merlie Tolentino gestures to members and officials of the NMBA board as they discuss their priorities for this season. (Contributed Photo)

“It will be a challenge to recruit committed players for the national team,” she said.

The NMBA board has identified the Mini Games preparations among its priorities this season and these will include both training members/officials on how to conduct the competition next year and forming the national team.

Tolentino and company have also made initial discussion on how to resume tournaments and other badminton related activities safely amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, NMBA managed to hold only one competition, the IT&E Badminton Tournament, which was held in February or a little over a month before the local and federal government began enforcing restrictions to prevent the spread of the virus.

As the NMBA board works on holding more competitions this year while still following safety protocols against the COVID-19, the group will also strengthen its Shuttle Time program. The initiative, which Badminton World Federation introduced to its members in 2012, is aimed at making the sport more accessible to children in the 5 to 15 age group by going to schools and to the community. Resource materials and equipment are made available for BWF-affiliated countries to boost Shuttle Time and increase its reach.

In the CNMI, NMBA has reached out to a couple schools since 2019 and could have visited more institutions and hold sessions for other members of the community in 2020 if not for the pandemic. This year, NMBA hopes to bring badminton, including AirBadminton (outdoor version) to more schools and youth groups and will do it in accordance with the safety regulations set by authorities.