Four teams meet NMASA deadline

Four sports associations sending athletes and coaches to the 2005 South Pacific Mini Games in Palau met the March 3 deadline for airfare costs imposed by the Northern Marianas Amateur Sports Association.

President Michael White reported during NMASA’s regular monthly meeting Thursday that swimming, tennis, triathlon, and athletics remitted the $600 per player needed to purchase airplane tickets and cover part of the per diem cost for the Mini Games.

“As I said, I [would] like to get as many teams and athletes down to Palau. I’ll get the tickets for the people who’ve the money in and won’t get the tickets for the people who don’t. The later we go [to Continental Micronesia], the harder it is to get tickets—that’s all that I could say,” said White.

Baseball partially met the requirement with Saipan Major League president Rose Igitol securing $400 per player. She, however, requested for an extra day to hand over the check to NMASA treasurer Margaret Palacios.

“We didn’t want to bring an entire stack of cash tonight. We’ve got all of the money today and we promise to give it all to you tomorrow,” she told the NMASA leadership.

Baseball was one of three sports in jeopardy of missing out on the opportunity to represent the CNMI in the quadrennial event because of fundraising woes.

“It’s really difficult to fundraise, especially for team sports like baseball. I guess the reason that we were able to come up with the money was partly because we’re bringing in a very young team and parents are very much involved in the fundraising. They’re out there helping us out,” said Igitol.

Saipan Softball Association president Robert A. Guerrero regrettably informed NMASA that his sport is nowhere near the $24,000 needed to cover airfare costs for 40 players and coaches of both the men’s and women’s teams.

“Our guys have been doing fundraising since November. As far as I’m concerned I have no excuse [for not coming up with the money]. Baseball has come up with [part] of the money and they started fundraising only last January,” he said.

Ed Johnson of canoeing was more assuring and promised that his sport will come up with the $8,400 required to send its 14-man men’s and women’s crew to Palau.

“We’re still fundraising. I’ve been talking to my federation about getting some money out there. We do have some funds and we will make the deposit. We have $2,000 as far as I know,” he said.

Also failing to meet the deadline for the $600 per player were the sports associations of table tennis, wrestling, and beach volleyball.

White, however, said organizations that didn’t meet the deadline could still remit the money and NMASA would help them make separate flight arrangements to Palau.

“So tomorrow, as soon as Margaret tells me she has the check for baseball, I will make arrangements for tickets for baseball, swimming, tennis, athletics, and triathlon. For the rest of you guys, the faster you get it up, let Margaret and I know and we’ll make arrangements for you too,” he said.

Steven Nguyen of the Northern Mariana Islands Volleyball Association seems to be ready to take White on his word and told NMASA that his association will try, as soon as possible, to marshal the $2,000 it still owes for airfare.

White also said wrestling only needs to come up with $400 more to meet the airfare costs of its two athletes.

Steve Lim, on the other hand, was not present in the discussion Thursday, as he is still in Manila, but the Marianas Amateur Table Tennis Association, which he heads, is only short by $2,600.