Several projects before 2021 Mini Games lined up

A catcher throws from home plate during a baseball game at the Francisco “Tan Ko” Palacios Ballfield early this year. Northern Marianas Sports Association plans to build a stand at the baseball field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Northern Marianas Sports Association executive director Tony Rogolifoi said they have lined up several projects to improve the islands’ sports facilities in time for Saipan’s hosting of the 2021 Pacific Mini Games.

The Oleai Sports Complex will be at the center of those projects as NMSA hopes to spruce up the main hub of the 2021 Games where the opening and closing ceremonies would take place.

“We’re very thankful that Gov. [Ralph DLG] Torres expressed his support to our hosting of the 2021 Games. We need a lot of help from all sectors of our community as we plan on improving our sports facilities,” Rogolifoi told Saipan Tribune.

“If they [government] can help us in providing additional funding, then we could start and get these projects done before 2021,” added Rogolifoi.

They are looking at having additional grandstands at the track oval as it has still space to extend the current viewing area for sports fans. There are similar plans for the stands at the Francisco M. Palacios baseball and Miguel Basa Pangelinan softball fields.

“The baseball field is another big project where we hope to add a grandstand that may also be connected to the press box. We also need to have additional indoor gyms where off-island athletes can practice,” said Rogolifoi.

Besides the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium, the CNMI has two other indoor facilities, but Marianas High School and Northern Marianas College gymnasiums are currently awaiting repairs as they were also damaged when Typhoon Soudelor pummeled the island in August 2015.

“These improvements of facilities would be beneficial to the entire CNM, especially in the hosting of other regional games or tournaments. We’re glad to hear that the governor also wanted to improve our sports facilities,” Rogolifoi said.

He added that even Pacific Games Council chief executive officer Andrew Minogue and president Vidhya Lakhan, when they visited Saipan last year, told NMSA officials that Saipan has the sports facilities and they only need improvement.

“We’re done with the resurfacing of the Oleai track, but it still needs sprucing up since it would host the opening and closing ceremonies. It would be at the center stage during the athletics competitions,” said Rogolifoi.

Athletics, badminton, baseball, canoe (va’a), golf, sailing, swimming, tennis, triathlon, volleyball (beach and indoor), weightlifting, and wrestling are the 12 others sports to be offered in the 2021 Pacific Mini Games.