By: Recto I. Vidal Barely a month before the 25th SEA GAMES opens, the country's top beach volleyball player lamented for the allowance promised them by the Philippines’ sports officials never reach them. "The national team needs support to be competitive. We lack financial and equipment supports like Oakley sunglasses. Suportado kami sa pagkain, vitamins ag uniforms ogaling kueang sa financial," said the battle-tested lady spiker, Cecille Tabuena of Joyao-Joyao, Numancia, Aklan. Cecille specifically mentioned her need to have money to buy a pair of Oakley or Rudy Project "shades". This is badly needed to protect the tough Navy stalwart's eyes from the punishing glare of the scorching heat of the sun. A pair of branded shades cost at least P8,000,00. We're not allowed to use local shades by the SEA Games officials owing to its poor quality,” said the power-spiking Tabuena, a veteran of many Asia championships games. Already, the Aklan Tennis Club, Kalibo, Aklan here readily responded to the local media's call for help as it sent four jumbo sized Coppertone sunblock lotion to the 5'9" foot stunner who said that the supply was good enough to last until their SEA Games campaign. Tabuena, an enlisted personnel at the Philippine Navy, also expressed concern on the lack of training she and her team mate have to contend with. "While our rivals in the region have already been exposed to various trainings in Europe and China for the past several months, here we are stuck in the rut as we have yet to begin our formal training. We should have started our training at least two months earlier," but the construction of their training ground at the La Salle - Bacolod is yet to be completed on November 10 this year. Tabuena, who considers Thailand and Indonesia as their closest rivals, decried that some sports officials failed to honor their promises for them to train abroad. This remains unfulfilled due to "budget constraints." During my interview, she admitted "too much politics in sports" are embedded. This results to the failure of the release of their allowances, conduct of proper training, purchase of necessary equipment and others. Tabuena's family is set to attend on Wednesday's session of the Sangguniang Bayan of Numancia, Aklan. The Numancia Sangguniang Bayan of said town will pass a resolution commending the usually intimidating Tabuena for her outstanding contribution to Philippine Sports. Councilor Winston H. Carillo disclosed that the Sangguniang Bayan will formalize a resolution providing financial support to Tabuena to bankroll her campaign in the SEA Games in December. Tabuena and her team mate will pit beauty and brawn against their female counterparts in the SEA region. What does one needs to be the country's top lady spiker? “She must have discipline, endurance, power and skill. Then she must be a smart and quick thinking player, knows various techniques to excel in this kind of sport,” the agile and powerful Tabuena responded. The 26-year-old athlete, whose power-spiking skills earned her an automatic berth to the National Finals in December 2004, told about the preparations she and her team mate have been making for the upcoming SEA Games. Tell us about the training regimen? "We run and jog, do some calisthenics and then rest a little. Hinahanap ng katawan ko ang routine at training. Usually, we begin our training at five in the morning," she revealed. To stay in tip top shape, "I've committed myself to long hours of practice which involves a lot of coordination. It requires me to perform not just an individual but as a team," said the statuesque Navy stalwart She confessed that her team mate and she will heavily rely on their wide experience. Sports scribes describe them as the country's best volleyball pair. "Officially, I started in this sport since my elementary days. My father Brunei encouraged me to get into this sport since I was in Grade 5. Since then, I never looked back. In high school, I was a member of the volleyball team sent to the Palarong Pambansa. When I became a member of the national team, I was given a scholarship." she disclosed while describing the sport as her first love. Her outstanding skill in volleyball earned her a college scholarship at the University of St. La Salle (Bacolod) and later, enlistment in the Philippine Navy team and eventually the national beach volleyball team. Her formidable team-up with fellow Philippine Navy's enlisted lady, Michelle Laborte of Bacolod City, gained them the coveted championship trophy in the 2005 Petron Beach Volleyball Championship in September 2005 This feat prompted Councilor Winston H. Carillo to sponsor a resolution commending Tabuena for her outstanding accomplishment in sports and as the Philippines’ representative in the beach volleyball competition, to Sea Games 2005. As her adrenalin shot up in her system, she admitted being a very "competitive" person who's really inspired and overwhelmed by the love and support extended to her not just by her family but by her fellow Aklanons. Although she gets jittery at times thinking of the forthcoming SEA Games, Tabuena is not a bit intimidated as she expressed confidence in her team's abilities. "We're both looking forward to it. We’ve been training hard all year as we are now excited about the forthcoming SEA Games. Right now, we have not yet peaked in our trainings. Definitely, we'll not allow ourselves to be cocky and get over-confident," she enthused. The only thing that Cecille has little trouble with is the diet required for discipline. "I really have to watch my weight, pag lumalampas timbang I go on a diet, not to eat rice, just fruits and vegetables. It doesn't help that I have a sweet tooth,” she blissfully extolled the virtues of ice cream and doughnuts during the interview.She acknowledged that height can be a plus factor, but "dapat idaan sa skills at tyaga. I should know how to use height to my advantage and I should know the technique." Asked about her team's chances in the face of a tough opposition, she said: "it doesn’t matter whether we'll get the bronze or the gold medal as long as we can be able to bring glory to the country. It’s all about doing the best, the desire and motivation to win when we’re finally in the court. She sees herself staying in the competition until she's 32. This beach volleyball babe wants to stay in court until age 32 after which take new challenge: to impart her knowledge and skills via teaching and coaching kids in Aklan “I want to inspire them, to bring out the best in them so that Aklan will lead in any regional sports competitions," said Cecille a degree holder in Education at the University of La Salle Bacolod. The best deal in being part of the National team are meeting people and sharing experiences with them. Her stunning looks are earning her notice from Speedo, the Games' official outfitter. She has also received countless offers for her to endorse shampoo products. “I do not get tired of my team mate. Masayang kasama, fun to be with, we hang out sometimes," she confided. When asked about matters of the heart, she confessed that she is loveless at the moment, an advantage that "makes me more focused and my considerable amount of energy is channeled on the forthcoming international competitions,” the volleyball queen confessed. Indeed, Tabuena, who was teased by her college mates as "Pulot Girl" has came a long way from her humble beginnings. /MP mailto:madyaas_pen@yahoo.com
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