NCAA putting a premium on athletes’ health

MANILA, Philippines – The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the Philippines has come up with an improved system to ensure the health and safety of its athletes for Season 91 and beyond.

Speaking to the media during the press conference leading up to the 2015-2016 season of the NCAA on Monday, June 22, at the Mall of Asia Arena, NCAA Management Committee member and Mapua Institute of Technology Chief Executive Officer Reynaldo Vea said that 3 integral steps have been undertaken.

Vea expounded on the topic after being queried on what methods the league will utilize on health and safety following the passing of JRU junior’s player CJ Servillon in the recent FilOil preseason tournament. Servillon, who collapsed on his team’s bench during a time-out, was rushed to Cardinal Santos Medical Center but died two days later after falling into a comatose state.

(READ: FilOil claims no negligence in death of JRU baller Servillon)

“We are making sure that we know about the exact state of the athletes when they come into our schools, and for that reason we’re making use of a questionnaire that has been formulated scientifically in order to better know the state of health of the athletes when they come into the league,” Vea said.

While talking to Rappler after the press conference, Vea said that the one-page questionnaire came from “the result of some thesis that have been studied in sports medicine.” 

“It’s more a questionnaire that will be answered by the players, but they themselves know,” he added. “So parang (it’s like) related to symptoms that they themselves feel, and they themselves can answer. So it’s not a questionnaire for their doctors, but for the players.

“Secondly,” he said in the press conference, “we are contracting with providers of health services, specifically doctors and ambulance service that should be present at every game, in every sport of [the] NCAA… not just for this season in fact, but for all seasons to come, to make sure [of] the safety and the health of our athletes and everyone involved in the games.”

There will be an emergency medical team for the league, said Vea, who also mentioned that emergency equipment such as a defibrillator will be present.

Vea also told Rappler that the NCAA “will enter into agreement with the nearest medical center beside the venue so they can accept emergency cases for us,”

The Mapua president didn’t specify which hospital, although it will likely be Cardinal Santos Medical Center, which is two kilometers and 7 minutes away from San Juan Arena – the venue where nearly all NCAA elimination round games will be played. 

“Those are the 3 elements that we have discussed,” said Vea. “We’ll not stop thinking about other measures that may be taken, but for now those are the 3 things that we have to do very, very immediately.” 

(READ: San Beda coach Jarin on new job: ‘Of course there’s pressure’)

The 91st season of the NCAA opens on Saturday, June 27, at the Mall of Asia Arena with an opening ceremony at 12 noon, to be followed by the Mapua Cardinals taking on the San Beda Red Lions in senior’s basketball at 1:00 pm. 

– Rappler.com