NMBF thankful for support of sponsors

By Jon Perez
ST Reporter

Organizers of the upcoming Northern Marianas Badminton Federation team competition are thanking the sponsors that have thrown their support in the season-ending event, which opens on Oct. 6 at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

NMBF vice president Edwin Montoya and tournament coordinator Rey Julongbayan where one in saying that the support provided by Pacific Telecom Inc., Traders Insurance, Labtech, Pure H20, Sun Palace, Admaran International, Salon de Manila, Tan Holdings, SaipanCell Communicaitons, BME & Sons Construction, Coral Ocean Point, Shirley's Coffee Shop, Pacific Marine, and Marianas Brokers Inc. will go a long way to help the fledgling group promote the Olympic sport of badminton, specially to the local youth.

The NMBF is a two-year-old organization that also aims to develop badminton at the grassroots level and hopefully in the next five years, send one or two local players as representatives to international competitions.

Montoya said although the CNMI is experiencing tough economic times there are still some businesses that are willing to help and support local sporting events specially badminton.

Montoya added that the NMBF is looking forward for another successful tournament as it prepares for the 2008 season.

The NMBF has grown rapidly to a total of 150 members since its creation in Feb. 24, 2005.

As of press time, Julongbayan and the rest of the tournament committee are meeting to finalize all concerns regarding the opening of the league-type games on Saturday.

Julongbayan said that he is requesting the team captains or designated representatives to attend a meeting tomorrow, Oct. 4, for the final briefing of the opening ceremony of the tournament.

Julongbayan is requesting all 64 players competing in the inaugural league-type team competition to attend the opening rites on Saturday, which starts promptly at 5pm and players are requested to be at the Ada Gym 30 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony.

The drawing of the teams that will play on opening day will be done after the ceremony. There are seven teams in the league-type tournament, which is expected to end on Nov. 17.

One team will have a bye in the Saturday-only games. The tournament format will have one team play four events of seven games in one day consisting of one men's singles, two games each in the men's and women's doubles, mixed doubles, and one open event. It will be anything goes in the open event, where team captains can field their strongest players.

It will be a round-robin type tournament where one team will play against the six other squads. Each team in any of the seven games will accumulate wins with the squad that has the most wins declared champion. Cash prizes and trophies await the Top 3 finishers.

Saipan Mayor Juan B. Tudela will be the NMBF's guest speaker, while House Speaker Oscar Babauta and a representative from the Northern Marianas Amateur Sports Association will also be attending the opening ceremony.

Early this year, the NMBF held the Inaugural Traders Insurance/PTI Cup Badminton Tournament with 27 pairs being honored in the month-long tournament.

The NMBF held its first tournament on Oct. 9, 2006, where close to 40 players joined the five-day competition.

For more information, call Montoya at 288-1436 or Julongbayan ar 235-0576, or email at NMBF@yahoogroups.com.

Mayor Tudela to grace badminton league opening

By Jon Perez
Reporter

Raj Jayalalal of Sri Lanka in action in this file photo from a recent Northern Marianas Badminton Federation tournament. (Jacqueline Hernandez) Saipan Mayor Juan B. Tudela will be one of the special guests who will attend the opening rites of the inaugural Northern Marianas Badminton Federation Team Competition, which opens on Oct. 6 at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Tudela is one of the special guests the NMBF has invited for its Davis Cup-style tournament. Northern Marianas Amateur Sports Association president Michael A. White will send a representative, while House Speaker Oscar Babauta has already confirmed his attendance.

Tudela said promoting a healthy lifestyle has been a priority of his administration. “For the past years, healthy living and physical activities have been a priority in our ways of life.”

Promoting a healthy lifestyle of living through physical activities and sports development is one of the NMBF's main objectives.

Tudela said a healthy lifestyle could be achieved through tournaments and outdoor activities such as the NMBF's league-type format competition. “With your new organization, one can also enjoy physical activities through [badminton].”

The NMBF is a two-year organization that also aims to develop badminton at the grassroots level and hopefully in the next five years send one or two local players as representatives to international competitions.

Tudela commended the NMBF for taking the lead in promoting an active and healthy lifestyle on Saipan. “As we strive forward to more challenges in our life, I would like to commend [the NMBF] in taking the extra step in ensuring that active lifestyles are paramount in our community.”

The seven-team tournament follows a round-robin type format and is expected to end on Nov. 17. The tournament format will have one team play four events of seven games in one day consisting of one men's singles, two games each in the men's and women's doubles, mixed doubles, and one open event.

It will be anything goes in the open event, where team captains can field their strongest players.

Each team in any of the seven games will accumulate wins with the squad that has the most wins declared champion. Cash prizes and trophies await the Top 3 finishers.

Shuttlers must have played a minimum of five games in any of the four events offered in the duration of the tournament. No player is allowed to play three games in one day.

Organizers of the tournament have already sought several companies for assistance in sponsoring a team or teams in the Saturday-only tournament.

Some of the companies and businesses that committed to sponsor a team or donate prizes are Pacific Telecom Inc., Traders Insurance, Labtech, Pure H20, Sun Palace, Admaran International, Salon de Manila, Tan Holdings, SaipanCell, and B&E Construction.

The entrance fee per team is $500 where $300 will be shouldered by a sponsor/s, while the remaining amount will be divided among the eight players of a team.

Early this year, the NMBF held the Inaugural Traders Insurance/PTI Cup Badminton Tournament with 27 pairs being honored in the month-long tournament.

The NMBF held its first tournament on Oct. 9, 2006 where close to 40 players joined the five-day competition.

For more information, call NMBF vice president Edwin Montoya at 288-1436, or email at NMBF@yahoogroups.com.

A Tribute to the Great...

Bye-bye Macoi (Makwa)

Shuttler Aguda leaves Saipan today

By Jon Perez
Reporter

Macoi Aguda falls on the floor while trying to hit the shuttle in this file photo taken during the the inaugural Northern Marianas Badminton Federation Tournament in Oct. 10, 2006. (Mark Rabago) Macoi Aguda's high-flying acts, powerful smashes, and numerous trick shots, plus the overall knowledge of the sport of badminton will surely be missed at the makeshift badminton court inside the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Badminton regulars at the Ada Gym will miss even the off-court exuberance demonstrated by Aguda as his friendly personality and always-glad-to-help attitude aided countless individuals improve their game in the new sport being introduced by the Northern Marianas Badminton Federation to the CNMI.

The 28-year-old Aguda will be leaving Saipan today in search for greener pastures in the mainland after being one of those luckily recruited to work in the hotel industry in Florida.

Aguda is a thing to watch inside the badminton court, during tournaments and practice games, as he treats audiences to a rare spectacle of how beautifully badminton is played and how easy it is to be learned.

Among Aguda's string of achievements in his brief eight-month stay on Saipan are winning the men's doubles title with Raj Jayalal in the NMBF's second organized tournament, the Traders Insurance/PTI Cup in May; and three trophies in the NMBF's inaugural games last year: mixed doubles crown with Janice Bungalos, a second place finish in the men's singles, and placing third in the men's doubles division with teammate Marconi Calindas.

But it is not only inside the court that Aguda showcased his talents as the former Shirley's Coffee Shop supervisor also won second place honors in the Grand Fiesta Pop Music Festival when he interpreted Calindas' composition “Sweet December”.

Aguda, who started playing badminton in his early 20s, said it was only here on Saipan that he continuously played the sport. “Six months before going to Saipan, I played back in Manila but it is here where I played continuously.”

Aguda said despite his high level of playing he is still new in the sport. “If you play against the best in Manila even though you have picked up the sport for a little time you will be forced to play at the same level as your opponents.

“Manila has a high level of competition and a lot of people are playing it, it enhances your game when you play against them.”

Before taking up badminton, indoor volleyball was Aguda's first love as he was part of Malate Catholic School's varsity team for four years.

He played volleyball even when he is already in college and started learning badminton when he finished his B.S. Psychology degree at Far Eastern University in Manila.

NMBF officials and members held a farewell party for Aguda on Sept. 7 wishing him luck and good tidings as he embarks on a new journey in Florida.

List of players complete; membership meeting today

By Jon Perez
Reporter

The Northern Marianas Badminton Federation released the 64-player list that will see action in the upcoming league-type tournament next month at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

The 64 players are classified into the three divisions, namely: A, B, and C. They will be grouped into eight players in each team where they will play six or seven events in a round-robin format.

Leading the list are men's A players Ryan Achas, Lito Mendoza, Edwin Montoya, Raj Jayalal, Jerry Hibi, Jae Gang Lee, Eric Peña, and Priywathan Wijay.

Aside from the eight in the men's A division, there are 21 players in the men's B, and 15 in women's B while the men and women's C is composed of eight and 12 each.

Others in the list are Marconi Calindas, Patrick Fieldad, Jun Pineda, Shirley Kim, Christy Villaflor, Ronnie Lanuza, Michelle Salvador, Jojo Lazaro, Hapi Gabriel, Eydie Uy, Malou Malasarte, Ariel Mariano, Malou Guzman, Annette Quiambao, Joseph Santos, Jonathan Perez, June Padua, Marylyn Montano, Jason Junio, Lherie Galvan, and Juliet Ramos.

Rey Julongbayan, Jojo Savellano, Russell Salao, Gigi Zapanta, Aries Cordero, Cherry Javier, Angie Ito, Roger Vales, Celso Agui, Loida Ito, Elma Labuson, Narlou Achas, Irene Santiago, Lea Estinopo, Rommel Villaviza, Gary Bandoja, Merlie Savellano, Marlene Peraja, Lani Bartolome, Sherwin Pasillos, and Malou Mendoza will also see action.

Making up the rest of the participants are Bhabes Cielo, Ray Sanchez, Janis Parcon, Camille Samonte, Jorge Olanda, Emil De Belen, Robert Reyes, Edwin Maratas, Saul Gargallo, Hector Benitez, Ingrid Sanchez, Lot Abuel, Efren Cacdac, and Winnie Bonifacio.

The tournament format will have one team play four events of six or seven games in one day consisting of men's singles, two games each in the men's and women's doubles, and mixed doubles.

Each team will accumulate all wins with the squad that has the most wins after the seven-Saturday tournament being declared the champion. The league-type tournament will run up to Nov. 24. Cash prizes and trophies await the top three finishers.

Players must have played a minimum of five games in any of the four events offered in the duration of the tournament. No player is allowed to play three games in one day.

Organizers of the tournament have already sought several companies for assistance in sponsoring a team or teams in the Saturday-only tournament.

The entrance fee per team is $500 where $300 will be shouldered by a sponsor/s, while the remaining amount will be divided among the eight players of a team.

In other news, the NMBF will have a general membership meeting at 7pm today at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium before the start of the scheduled night practice session.

Aside from the discussing the tournament, another issue up for discussion is to fill in the positions of several inactive officers due to valid reasons.

For more information, call NMBF acting president Edwin Montoya at 288-1436 or PRO Mark Rabago at 235-0515, or email at nmbf@yahoogroups.com.

Badminton returns at Ada Gym

The newly formed Northern Marianas Badminton Federation announced that the weekday and weekend badminton sessions at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium returns starting tomorrow, July 10.

NMBF president Jonathan Perez said he has obtained permission from the Division of Sports and Recreation to restart badminton sessions at the gym from 7:30am to 10:30am Mondays to Fridays and from 4pm onwards on Saturdays.

NMBF cancelled their weekday and weekend badminton sessions at the Oleai Sports Complex to make way for the 6th Micronesian Games, which Saipan hosted from June 23 to July 2.

Badminton players regularly played at the gym on weekdays and weekends prior to the month-long Micro Games break. DSR charges $1 per day per player for the use of the facility's lights.

In related news, the regional association for badminton has adopted the rally point system for the sport and local badminton players are encouraged to adopt it in their games to quicken the pace of turnover on the courts' use. Matches are suggested to be best-of-three affairs and up to 25 points. (PR)

Badminton returns to Ada Gym

Northern Marianas Badminton Federation announced that weekday morning sessions for badminton resume this morning at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium following a three-week break.

Starting today, the Oleai Sports Complex venue will be reserved for the NMBF and its members from 8am to 11am Sundays to Fridays.

Badminton's morning schedule was scratched last month to give way to the 2007 Sports Camp.

In addition to the morning schedule, the association has also secured evening sessions from 6pm to 9pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

NMBF would like to thank the Division of Sports and Recreation, especially director Joe Lizama, for accommodating badminton sessions at the government-run indoor facility.

For more information about the NMBF, contact NMBF president Jon Perez at 235-1533, NMBF PRO Mark Rabago at 235-0515, or email at NMBF@yahoogroups.com. (PR)