IN a huge promotion in his coaching career, Jojo Posadas was appointed as head coach of the national track and field team by the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association following Patafa’s yearend evaluation of aspirants last December.
“Jojo was appointed as the head coach of the national team after an evaluation and interview of the Patafa board last month based not only on his credentials but also on the results that he has produced,” Patafa secretary general Edward Kho said.
A former UP varsity athletic standout, Kho, a member of the evaluation committee that also included Patafa national training director Renato Unso, revealed that national coaches Dario de Rosas and Sean Guevarra were also considered and screened for the sensitive post.
Jojo, the husband of former Southeast Asian Games long jump queen Elma Muros Posadas, has been a longtime member of the national athletic coaching staff while also coaching the athletic squads of UP and Jose Rizal University in the UAAP and NCAA, respectively.
Posadas was grateful for his appointment, saying he intends to boost not only the performances but also the morale of the national team, especially locally-based athletes.
“I am ready and willing to take on the responsibility and I have some plans so that our local athletes, especially the local ones, can strive and perform even better,” said Posadas, “because I want to give every opportunity to anyone aspiring to join the national team.”
He expressed the hope that Patafa would approve plans for the local national athletes to have overseas training “so they can not only have better preparations but also feel they are important and valued members of the national team.”
The national track squad is scheduled to resume actual training tomorrow the Philsports track oval in Pasig City.
Posadas said he would challenge the nationals to think beyond the Southeast Asian level and aspire to excel against top Asian and possibly world counterparts.
“Our athletes should not be content of just being the best in Southeast Asia. Hindi sila dapat mag-isip na pang SEA Games lang sila. They should think they can be competitive at the Asian and world level. This will be my challenge to them,” Posadas said.
“The Patafa leadership and I are on the same page in pushing our athletes so they can also meet Asian and world-class standards given the proper training and exposure,” he stressed.
Posadas’ first test as head coach of the national team is the 9th Asian Indoor Athletic Championships set Feb. 10 to 12 in Nur Sultan, Kazakhstan.
The compact yet competitive local squad will be bannered by Europe-base pole vaulter and world championship bronze medalist Ernest John Obiena plus majority of Filipino-American athletes based in the US.
They are hurdler Eric Shawn Cray, sprinter Kristina Knott, shot put specialist William Morrison III and pole vaulter Natalie Uy.
The other members of the men’s squad are long jumper Janry Ubas, high jumper Leonard Gorospe, triple jumper Mark Harry Diones, hurdler John Cabang, pole vaulter Jokett delos Santos, 400-meter runner Michael del Prado, 800-meter specialist Mariano Masano, relay runner Edward Giron and 60-meter hurdles bet John Cabang.
Pentathletes Sarah Dequinan and Alexei Caimoso are the other members of the women’s squad.
