VIPs meet the SSC

Some of Saipan’s top swimmers met some of the CNMI’s top brass on Saturday morning as Gov. Juan N. Babauta, Rep. Ray Tebuteb, and Rep. Dave Apatang paid a visit to the Kan-Pacific Pool in Marpi to congratulate them on their successful trip to Palau during the South Pacific Mini-Games.

After racing up and down the lanes during their practice, the swimmers donned their CNMI uniforms and proudly displayed the fruits of their wares around their necks. Parents were also on hand to see their medal laden children posing with the local government leaders for a few group photos before joining them atop the bleachers.

Following the shoot, Apatang expressed his feelings about the team, the Saipan Swim Club, and all of the CNMI’s competitors who gave their all across the sea in the Mini-SPG’s.

“I’ve always been a supporter of the swim club and I’m out here to congratulate the kids because they did very good in the last competition in Palau and I’m very proud of all the athletes who went there. I’m here today to express my support again—continued support to the kids, and I hope we continue to encourage other young kids to join this club,” he said.

Babauta said that he was happy to get the chance to meet the kids in person and congratulate them on a job well done. While his trip to the pool was to send a message to the competitors, Babauta said that he was responding to the one they sent him via their performances.

“This is one of the pride and joy of the CNMI where you have our young athletes like them here going off and winning gold, silver, and bronze medals and bringing them home. It really sends a message to us here in the CNMI—the leaders, the legislature, and the administration—that we should continue to support physical fitness and sports here in the CNMI. It’s the way to go,” he said.

After getting a first hand view of the aging Marpi facility, Apatang spoke of his support of the construction of a new complex for the club that would make the trips to the pool easier for everyone to take advantage of.

“A centrally located facility—one that everybody can goto and one that the disabled kids can goto as well,” he said.

Apatang made mention to the possibility of breaking ground in the American Memorial Park and said that he already has the site in mind.

Babauta said that supporting the local athletes will benefit the Commonwealth as a whole on a number of levels—to include helping to reduce the rising cost of healthcare.

“It helps us in every sense of the word. One of the ways it helps us directly is that it helps curb the cost of health care here in the CNMI when you have healthy people that trend to use less of the healthcare delivery system, but that’s just a side interest of mine. The fact of the matter is that we have young people excelling in sports and we should encourage that,” he said.

SSC coach Michael Stewart said that he was thrilled that the swimmers received some recognition from the lawmakers, and it makes it that much easier to compete when knowing that the CNMI is behind them.

“The governor and some congressmen coming to say hey to the kids—it’s so great to have that kind of support from our elected officials.”
BRAD E. RUSZALA
The CNMI swimmers who competed in Palau during the 2005 South Pacific Mini-Games receive a visit from Gov. Juan N. Babauta, Rep. Dave Apatang, and Rep. Ray Tebuteb at the Kan-Pacific Pool in Marpi on Saturday morning.