Newly-appointed Philippine Sports Commission chairperson Richard “Dickie” Bachmann reported for work way ahead of the agency’s 8 a.m. call time for two straight days.
Bachmann’s vehicle pulled up at the PSC gates at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex a full hour before the start of work and wasted no time familiarizing himself with his new role.
Talking to the media last Wednesday, the former governor of the Alaska Aces in the Philippine Basketball Association admitted that to steer the Filipino athletes to greater heights, he will need the cooperation and help from the other sporting stakeholders: The private sector and the Philippine Olympic Committee.
Bachmann, 54, was appointed as the new chairperson in the last days of December and immediately hit the ground running with his arrival at his new post early.
After doing the rounds of the RMSC and inspecting key facilities such as the football field, track oval, the Philippine Center for Sports Medicine and the squash center, Bachmann had a four-hour meeting with commissioners Olivia “Bong” Coo, Edward Hayco and Walter Torres.
“I cannot do this alone. I’m just learning. Not just the commissioners but people here in this office, I will need everybody’s help to make this succeed,” Bachmann, a former La Salle basketball player, said.
“The POC and the private sector, we should be working together,” he added.
The year 2023 is going to pretty hectic and crucial for Filipino athletes and Bachmann’s leadership at the PSC since two major meets are taking place in May and in September-October.
First is the 32nd Southeast Asian Games which will be hosted by Phnom Penh from 5 to 6 May and the Hangzhou Asian Games from 23 September to 8 October.
Also on tap are Olympic qualifying events as well as pre-SEA Games competitions in the first four months of the year.
As he starts watering his feet and pulling up his sleeves, Bachmann swears he will make sure that training athletes will receive more than ample preparation that he might end up showing up in their workout sessions.
“As a PSC chairman, I don’t know what really is going on. I will be a working chairman and I will be going to their practices,” Bachmann said.
To further broaden his knowledge of the PSC affairs, Bachmann will also meet with former PSC chairperson William ‘Butch’ Ramirez, who had two terms as PSC chairperson.
