By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

FORMER CNMI Men’s Basketball Team member and 2002 NMASA Student Athlete of the Year Sgt. Chris Idip is nominated for 2006 Male Marine Athlete of the Year award .
Idip left Saipan in 2002 to join the Marines and is currently stationed at Miramar, San Diego, California.
While serving in the Marines, Idip earned the nod of his coach for his remarkable performance in softball and basketball.
In the March edition of Flight Jackets, the monthly publication of Miramar Marines, Idip was featured in the sports section of the newsletter, as his coach, Chief Warrant Officer Steven Alvey nominated the Chalan Kanoa resident for top male Marine athlete of the year.
“Sometimes these Marines can play two to three tournaments a month and still perform their functions as Marines. Idip plays three intramural sports, as well as starting on the varsity softball team,” the Flight Jackets quoted Alvey.
The Flight Jackets also reported that Idip played in the 2006 USSSA World Championship tournament and earned multiple awards from San Diego area softball tournaments.
On Saipan, Idip led the NMI to the championship in the 2002 Micronesian Basketball Tournament on Rota. He was later named MVP in the regional tournament.
In an email to the Variety, Idip’s mother Helgah said Idip won the Most Valuable Player award in the 2006 BISL Softball Tournament. The Marianas High School alumni also took the silver slugger plum and was a member of the-Tournament Team, which included players/marines from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea.
“I’m so proud of him for the results of all his hard work which started out here in the CNMI. I know in my heart how much he loves sports and I have always supported him in doing what he enjoys the most,” Helgah said.
Aside from softball and basketball, Idip also played little league baseball and football and ran the track while he was still on Saipan.
“He played football at WSR and scored touchdowns for the team. He ran the track. He played basketball in Hopwood Junior High and Marianas High School where he pretty much excelled in and received multiple awards and was named Student Athlete of the Year in 2002. He also danced with the Polynesia/Hawaii Dancing Group in high school,” Helgah said.
“All these experiences in school before he joined the Marines helped him get to where he is now. He now plays basketball, flag football and softball. He told me at one time that he works part time as a referee in the marine football games,” she added.
The winner of the Male Marine Athlete of the Year award was scheduled to be announced last March 30.