2010 FISU Forum Update: Chatting with the Participants

VIGO – Kelly Blas, the Secretary-General of the Guam University Sports Federation is excited to be present here at the Vigo Forum. ‘It is import to get Guam out there with the other federations to learn as much as we can because we are a relatively new federation. It’s a whole different environment for our athletes than with the other federations and we have to learn this and here is the right place to do so’, Kelly said. ‘Letting know that we are here and want to compete. The biggest challenge for our young federation will be funding although we receive some budget from our NOC and the fact that most of our actual athletes are students is an asset. Another challenge will be to prepare our national federations to interact with University Sport’, the Guam SG explained. Guam, being a fairly new FISU member association really wants to be a part of the FISU Family. Being present here in Vigo at the Forum is their first official attendance at a FISU event and the NUSF will send out a Women’s Team to the 2010 WUC Rugby 7 in Portugal next month. ‘We will participate following the Olympic motto, but we definitely want to raise the level for our athletes and international participation is the only way.’

Matthew Mancao is a physical therapy student who represents the NUSF from the Marianas Islands, like Guam another country from Micronesia that became member through the OUSA Associate Member of FISU from Oceania. ‘It is a great opportunity to learn as are federation is currently only involved with high school sport. So my main task was to attend the Forum to gather as much information as possible to develop and grow University Sport on the Marianas. This will also be our biggest challenge for the near future.’

For the first time in the history of the Forum, FISU partnered with an international sport federation to promote a specific sport during the academic FISU event. This year a partner was found with the World Badminton Federation. FISU President George Killian and David Cabello, Chair of the WBF Development Committee and President of the Spanish Badminton Federation opened the badminton session firing the first shuttle. ‘For the WBF our presence at the Forum means a big step forward in our development program. Within the WBF we are developing badminton as a school sport and as a university sport so we are very pleased to be part of the FISU Family. It’s a known fact that badminton is a popular sport among students.’

Christian Pierre, FISU Press Officer

Delegates form the Marianas and Guam

President Killian with the WBF delegate