Arnold Mesa, coordinator for BANMI, said he is currently searching for people who belong to advanced age groups to be part of one league which will be sent eventually to the 2009 World Masters Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
A competitor, coach, and referee in past World Masters Olympics in different venues, Mesa said that he is inviting individuals with penchant in sports to join the Masters games.
BANMI is in search of persons who fall under the 35 to 39 age bracket. The association is also accepting entries that belong to the following age groups: 40-44; 45-49; 50-54; 55-59; 60-64; and 65 and above.
Earlier, Mesa said the BANMI-sanctioned 2008 Masters Basketball League will serve as preparation for CNMI’s planned participation in the World Masters Olympics.
“It’s important that these athletes need to be trained in preparation for the [Sydney] World Masters games, Mesa added, hoping this will help CNMI to take part in a larger basketball league for the first time.
He emphasized that the 12-member basketball team that will formed after the 2008 BANMI Masters games will include four members who are between 35 and 39 years old.
“We’re trying to make it to 10 to 12 teams [for the BANMI Masters],” Mesa said, adding that each team will consist of mixed age groups.
Currently, there are five teams that already signed up for the local Masters caging league.
Mesa has been part of the World Masters Olympics in Brisbane, Australia in 1994, Portland, Oregon, U.S. in 1998, Melbourne, Australia in 2002, and Edmonton, Canada in 2005.
The World Masters Olympics is considered as the largest sports event in the world with 94-member countries under its wings.
