THE PHILIPPINE Rowing Association (PRA) has teamed up with the province of Cavite in forming the first rowing school in the country dubbed First Ternate Cavite Rowing Academy.
The academy was launched yesterday at the Barrio Bucana in Ternate, Cavite that was attended by the whole national team headed by Tokyo Olympian Cris Nievarez along with PRA President Patrick Gregorio.
Another Olympian, Benjie Tolentino, will be the head instructor of the school that aims to produce more national team mainstays and possibly Olympian rowers in the future.
“We have to build more rowing academy or centers all over the country so young people can learn how to row, that is the first step,” said Mr. Gregorio. “We will develop more rowing centers to reach this goal.”
Mr. Gregorio said the program was done in cooperation with the University of the Philippines College of Human Kinetics.
“We thank UP CHK as well as Cavite governor Jonvic Remulla, Philippine Olympic Committee President Bambol Tolentino and Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Noli Eala for the support,” he said. — Joey Villar