Scheduling of sports events

There has to be some organization or someone taking charge of the scheduling of sporting events in the NMI. Many times there are too many events on the same day. NMASA used to come up with an annual schedule and coordinated it with the Marianas Visitors Authority.

Now MVA is doing it. However, many sports or individuals just pick their date and go with it, not realizing or thinking that there may be other events on that same date.

For me, Saipan is too small, and many of the families are involved in several different activities and need to plan ahead. It is impossible to satisfy everyone, but it would certainly help if there were more coordination. There are some long-standing events, which select the following years’ schedule before the end of the current event, and they should not be interrupted. They usually follow the same dates annually.

It would be smart for an organization wanting to put on an event, to call a source and see what dates are available, then plan from there. This is the way it should be done?

But, who will take that responsibility for the event scheduling? There may be some other ideas, always open for suggestions.?

Also, there should be some criteria established for an organization, specifically from off-island, to be able to host an event in the Northern Marianas. They should check with MVA (at this time) and also the respective local national sporting organization through NMASA.

We need their sponsorship and expertise, but they should work within our own sporting structures first.

Unless someone has a better idea, I suggest lets all get together and coordinate our various events and help promote one major “Sports Event Calendar,” and for the time being, through MVA.

Since Parks and Recreation, and Sports and Recreation could also be involved, maybe a committee of all three could take on this responsibility. Since the NMI is promoted as a tourist and leisure vacation destination, it would be nice for those promoters to have dates and names of events well in advance.

As for the athletes, they need time for preparing themselves or their teams, and most should be done about one year in advance. I know the local athletes enjoy competing against outside competition, in addition to the further development of those individuals and the sport.