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In local sporting milestone, Ada Milby relishes role as new PH rugby chief

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Manolo Pedralvez

Ada Milby’s election as the first female president of the Philippine Rugby Football Union on December 15 caught the attention of international rugby.World Rugby devoted a <a href="https://www.world.rugby/news/609773/ada-milby-presidential-appointment-sign-of-progressive-philippine-rugby-football-union">lengthy piece</a> on the Philippine sports milestone, while Asia Rugby tweeted the accomplishment shortly after her election.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Breaking News: Congratulations to ✨Ada Milby on being elected as President Philippine Rugby Football Union 🇵🇭<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AsiaRugby?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AsiaRugby</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WomenInRugby?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WomenInRugby</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Unstoppbale?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Unstoppbale</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TryAndStopUs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TryAndStopUs</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UnstoppableAsia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UnstoppableAsia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PhilippineRugby?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PhilippineRugby</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/WorldRugby?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WorldRugby</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/adamilby?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@adamilby</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/QaisUAE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@QaisUAE</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KSadleir?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KSadleir</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ScrumQueens?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ScrumQueens</a> @WSNet <a href="https://t.co/WCuKyHEeU6">pic.twitter.com/WCuKyHEeU6</a>— Asia Rugby (@asiarugby) <a href="https://twitter.com/asiarugby/status/1338827329900965889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2020</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div>It was just the latest achievement for the former US staff sergeant, who had a stint in Iraq, after settling down in the country in early 2000 and found herself reunited with the sport she fell in love in college, while cutting short what seemed like a promising figure-skating career then. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/23/20/despite-celebrity-surname-ph-rugby-official-ada-milby-carves-own-path">Forget her celebrity surname -- rugby official Ada Milby carves own path</a></li></ul>The elder sister of local matinee idol Sam Milby, Ada was born in Troy, Ohio to Lloyd William Milby and Elsie Lacia of Tago town, Surigao del Sur.Milby, who was PRFU secretary general since 2004, was elected the new PRFU president among 7 board members elected by 15 member clubs of the national federation, a poll held online and witnessed by observers of the Philippine Olympic Committee and Philippine Sports Commission.POC membership commission chairman Bones Floro and PSC commissioner Charles Maxey were the observers.Other PRFU board members reelected were Timothy Kong and Steve Payne while William Bailey, Max Stewart and Jaime Urquijo likewise make up the seven-member board. Former national standout Jake Letts was retained as PRFU’s chief executive officer. While prominent among countries of the former British Commonwealth, rugby in the Philippines remains low on the sports totem pole where basketball and boxing remain the most watched.It is definitely among the challenges Milby, 37, who is the elder sibling of local movie matinee idol Sam Milby, will be facing in her new role as PRFU president.“Well, it is an interesting time for anyone to take on the mantle of leadership, especially during the (COVID-19) pandemic,” said the new local rugby chief, who also sits on both boards of World Rugby and Asia Rugby.She was grateful in having her predecessor, businessman Rick Santos, PRFU president since 2002 who has stepped back and assumed the post of secretary general.“I am really thankful to Rick and the level of professionalism and leadership he has brought to the organization for the last eight years,” Milby said. “I am very happy that he is still on board so we can continue to tap into his wisdom and business acumen to help guide us through.“It was his leadership during the pandemic that allowed us to remain stable and sustainable.”Among her priorities is bringing back “players to the field in alignment with the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) guidelines some time in the second quarter of 2021, which could be in April.”Milby was keen on sustaining the momentum of the gains made at the 30th Southeast Asian Games last year when the national men’s and women’s sides bagged the gold and silver medals, respectively, in the 7s competition held at the Clark Freeport Zone in Angeles city, Pampanga.While rugby has not yet been included in the 31st edition of the regional meet in Hanoi, Vietnam in November next year, Milby is hopeful to whip both squads back into competitive form for overseas 7s scheduled in the third quarter of 2021.The Asian 7s tournament for both men and women is scheduled in 2021 for August 28 to 29 in Incheon, South Korea and September 11 to 12 in Huizhou, China.Milby said she was banking on strong performances by both squads in the event in making a strong case for their inclusion to the national contingent that will compete in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games in China.“If we perform well in the event, we can get the endorsement of the Philippine Olympic Committee in having both squads compete in the 2022 Asian Games,” she said, adding that the men’s 7s squad is currently ranked No. 4 in Asia while the distaff side is at No. 8.“We believe that if they continue to perform well, the national men’s team has a strong chance of winning a medal in the 2022 Asia Games while our women’s team will continue to improve and be strong contenders in the continent as well,” Milby added.Being among the few global women leaders in the male-dominated sport, the comely PRFU chief, who heads Asia Rugby’s Women’s Advisory Committee, remains committed in her advocacy of promoting gender equality, especially on the local front.“By having more women in the room, regardless of how much we say or we don&#x27;t say, I do feel like the conversations that happen in the rooms are different simply by being present,” Milby was quoted as saying in the World Rugby article.“The weight that I carry of being the first (PRFU president) is there,” she acknowledged. “Part of the reason why I also feel that is because how well I do in this capacity now is going to potentially make more space for other women to come through the gate.“Men and women have the same rights to pursue their passions, pursue their dreams and if it means busting some of the social norms or cultural norms to show that should be, then yes.”

Milby’s election as the first female president of the Philippine Rugby Football Union on December 15 caught the attention of international rugby.

Milby’s election as the first female president of the Philippine Rugby Football Union on December 15 caught the attention of international rugby.