MANILA, Philippines — The National Academy for Sports is looking to replicate the development model that helped launch Filipino tennis star Alex Eala on the global stage, officials said Tuesday.
Newly appointed NAS executive director Francis Carlos “Kiko” Diaz said the government-run academy is studying global examples, including the Rafael Nadal Academy in Spain, where Eala trained during her formative years.
“Alex Eala is an example of an athlete who was groomed by a sports academy—with an academic program embedded in her training,” Diaz said during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Philippine Sports Commission media room. “You can see now the success Alex Eala is enjoying.”
Eala joined the Rafael Nadal Academy in 2016, combining elite coaching with formal education—an approach Diaz hopes will serve as a blueprint for developing Filipino athletes. NAS is moving toward a similar system that integrates academics and high-level athletic training.
“That’s essentially what we’re doing at NAS,” Diaz said. “We recognize the challenges, but we’re transforming them into opportunities. We’re also seeking partners who can help provide funding and support for our student-athletes.”
Established in 2020 through Republic Act No. 11470, NAS operates out of the New Clark City Sports Complex and currently houses 237 student-athletes.
Modeled after specialized public institutions such as the Philippine Science High School and the Philippine High School for the Arts, NAS has a dual mission: provide quality secondary education while developing athletes capable of representing the country in international competitions.
“For now, the academy focuses on seven Olympic sports: athletics, aquatics, taekwondo, badminton, table tennis, judo and gymnastics,” Diaz added, emphasizing NAS’s commitment to producing the next generation of world-class Filipino athletes.