The country has proven time and again that it is capable of producing top-notch athletes in various types of sports. And with the resurgence of badminton in the country over the past decade, enthusiasts from all ages have come out and some have shown promise and potentials of representing the country and carrying the Philippine flag in international tournaments.

But in order for us to become internationally competitive, training our players early is a must. With this in mind, the SOTX Sports Equipment Co. Ltd. of China, through their local distributor JMM Corporation, has recently decided to sponsor eight young, homegrown regular club players to train with the SOTX-Bayi badminton team in Qingdao, China.

The players who were given the opportunity to learn from some of the world’s best were Margaret Roselle Andrade (16 years old), Renzy Cutin Cordaño (14 years old), Edson Ramirez Malaki (15 years old) who all hail from Tacloban City; Bruce Harlston Lao Go (14 years old), Priscilla Joyce Shih Po (19 years old), John Kevin Beltrano (19 years old), and Miguel Noel San Andres (13 years old) who all come from Quezon City. SOTX endorser Rodil Sertan led the contingent in their month-long training which started last April 23 and will end on the 22nd of May.

Daily rigid training is expected by the group courtesy of the SOTX-Bayi Team who has been known to produce majority of the players of China’s National Badminton Team with the likes of World ranked No.1 in Men’s Singles Lin Dan, World No.3 in Ladies and Mixed Doubles Zhao Ting Ting and fast rising Ladies Singles player Jiang Yinjiao, to name a few.

This project which is planned to be held annually will certainly help in honing the skills of our young players and building a solid foundation for them. With activities like this, the future looks bright for the country in the international badminton scene and maybe in the future, the word “powerhouse” will not only be limited to China alone.