Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation to iron out kinks in eligibility rules

CEBU CITY, Philippines - The Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc (Cesafi) is slowly trying to modify its rules that would allow athletes to maximize the academic scholarship that they enjoy from their respective schools. In some instances, athletes who completed a four-year course, tend to “enroll" in a masters course in another school just so they could play out their remaining year. Athletes are eligible to play for five years in the Cesafi. “Players and teams abuse this and use this as a loophole just so they could play but nobody ever graduated with a masters degree and it’s a complete waste of school resources and opportunity," said Tiukinhoy. To address the situation, Tiukinhoy said that athletes might study at another school after they have graduated but they will not be spared from the one-year residency rule, which means that they need to enroll and attend the master’s degree for two years in order to play in their final year. “Their other option, if they want to play after they have graduated, is to enroll in another course at their school," Tiukinhoy added. The 2008 Cesafi season will open in August at the Cebu Coliseum. It will carry the theme, One Vision, One Cesafi. It will have the usual presentations from the participating schools followed by the basketball competitions, which is the major event of the Cesafi. The opening for the other events will be on Sept. 6. In another development, after the return of Southwestern University to mainstream collegiate basketball last year, making another possible comeback is Cebu Doctors’ University. The CDU Stallions were once a powerhouse team back in the Cebu Amateur Athletic Association. The more famous products of the school are Woodrow Enriquez and Mike Mañigo. However, CDU’s return is still under negotiations as their management still needs to approve their entry to the collegiate scene. - Sun.Star Cebu