As much as this hurts to say, I believe that Filipinos are just at too much of a disadvantage when it comes to Basketball. No matter how big our hearts are for the game, there’s just no denying that Basketball favors those whose shoulders are farther from the ground.
That’s no way of saying that we shouldn’t play hoops, but it is a reminder that if we dream of playing on the global stage, we have to choose the games we play.
Enter E-Sports into the picture. With one of the highest Internet penetration rates in the world, Filipinos are also some of the best online game players. Our infrastructure might not have the fastest speeds or latest hardware, but what we lack in equipment, we more than make up for with our skills on the mouse and keyboard and on the smartphone.
Filipinos are no strangers to the global online games scene. Even with limited government support, our national e-athletes are waving the flag proud in competitions around the world.
The lack of funding possibly stems from the difficult situation E-Sports finds itself in. The traditional sense of sports requires a display of physical prowess and the beauty of human motion. E-Sports, to many outsiders, is far from a sport because it’s just a bunch of players seated and typing away at their keyboards. There are no free-throw line dunks or fast and furious sprints across a finish line.
Although government support is still a few decades away, there are grassroots programs that are investing in our E-Sports infrastructure in the realization that Filipinos can dominate in this arena if given the proper funding and support.
The University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) is among the first collegiate leagues that has established an E-Sports tournament that pits the best gamers from the different universities in order to encourage student-athletes to harness their potential.
With an average height of 5’5 for males and 5’0 for females, Filipinos must accept that physical sports might not be the best avenue to showcase our prowess. I’m not saying that we should abandon our athletes and our bids in these sports altogether. What I am saying is that I think it’s time we take a second (or third or even fourth) look at our perennial champions and budding E-Sports athletes and give them all the support they need to represent our country and fight to earn the respect due to the talent and ingenuity of every Filipino.
Let’s play our cards smart and capitalize on our strengths rather than forcing the issue on our weaknesses. If we dream of one day becoming global, we most definitely must start local.
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