Twenty three teams, including the Philippine Blu Girls, who will compete in the men?s division, will see action in the National Open Softball Championships set May 1-7 in Baguio City. Defending men?s champion Philippine Air Force leads the big field that, incidentally will miss women?s titlist Pampanga Legends.
Those which met the deadline set by the organizing Amateur Softball Association-Philippines, aside from the Air Force, are last year?s runner up Rizal Technical University, Marikina MS Realtors, Bulacan State University, Cavite Province, Dasmarinas of Cavite, La Trinidad All Stars of Benguet, R and R of Benguet, Benguet Capital/, St. Louis University of Baguio and Baguio City, all in the men?s division play.
Reigning University Athletic Association of the Philippines titleholder University of Santo Tomas leads the 11-team women?s play which includes Mama Sita?s-University of the Philippines combine, 2009 second best team Adamson University, Rizal Technical University, Bulacan State University, Adamson-Dasmarinas of Cavite, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, University of the Cordilleras of Baguio, Kabenguetan of Benguet Province, Besao Selection of Mountain Province and Rizal Province.
Also missing are teams from Visayas and Mindanao, which, according to ASA-Phil operations manager Jun Veloso, sent words of their inability to participate due to lack of funds and the current political situation.Teams from Singapore and New Zealand, which earlier had signified their intention to compete, also begged off at the last minute due to funding problems.
ASA-Phil, headed by its president, Jean Henri Lhuillier, decided to field the Blue Girls? in the men?s division as part of their preparations for the coming Asian Games in lieu of lack of international exposure. An interesting sidelight of the men?s competition is the emerging rivalry between the Airmen and the RTU Blue Thunders that started in last year?s Open held at the Rosario Sports Complex in Pasig City and continued in the Pilipinas Softball Spring Season few months ago, an ambitious attempt by ASA-Phil to form the country?s first semi-pro league where the Mandaluyong-based clouters edged PAF for the title.
?This year?s Open will, definitely decide which between Air Force and RTU is the best club in the land today. Or whether there will be other teams that will emerge to challenge th3e two teams? present domination,? Veloso said.
The women?s play, on the other hand, will be an avenue for the Adamson U Lady Falcons to avenge their loss to the UST Tigresses for the UAAP crown. The Tigresses ended the Lady Falcons? reign in the varsity softball war in bringing to the Espana field UST?s first ever UAAP championship since the sport was incorporated to the calendar in the 50s.
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