Aboitiz support crucial for Cebu football
THERE is one reason why football in Cebu is growing - Aboitiz.
"Without the Aboitiz sponsoring (us), there would be no cornerstone for building football in the city," Cebu Football Association board member and Cebu International School supervisor Mark Bretherton said during the launching of the 9th Aboitiz season yesterday.
According to AGFI executive vice president the initial grant of for the first tournament nine years ago was P20,000 while this year it has ballooned to P200,000.
This year, the Cebu Football Association organized Aboitiz Cup has gone regional with four teams joining the Youth Festival this week end plus new divisions for the coming Cup competitions while a two-division Men's League will be launched on Oct.
"The Aboitiz Group Foundation Inc wanted us to go regional this year," CebuFA president Jonathan Maximo said. For the weekend tournament, teams from Silliman University, Foundation University, Dumaguete FC will send representatives.
On the other hand, Maximo said teams from Cagayan, San Carlos City and the Makati Football School wanted to send team but they heard of the Aboitiz too late and will instead join next year.
This year's Aboitiz Youth Festival has also attracted over 1,240 players in 109 teams. "The number could have been bigger but we had to turn down some of the teams because field limitations," Maximo said.
New clubs and schools who will join this yea are from Blessed John Seminary, Camp Lapulapu National High School, Cebu Institute of Technology, Center for International Education, St Scholastica, Cebu City NSHS, FC Inter Cebu, Don Bosco Missionary Seminary, San Roque FC, Bright Academy and DB Youth Pasil.
The new divisions this year are the Players 6, Girls 17 and Girls 12.
"We wanted to split the women's division and instead of just holding the women's open we want another division so there will be an incentive for the schools to put up teams," Bretherton explained.
After the youth festivals, the regular Cup type competitions for the different age bracket will follow while the Men's League will be launched middle of next month.
The AGFI though is not resting on its laurels. Plans are being made to make the Aboitiz tourney a national tournament next year, while they are also scouring for a field to address the lack of venue for Cebu football.
"Without the Aboitiz sponsoring (us), there would be no cornerstone for building football in the city," Cebu Football Association board member and Cebu International School supervisor Mark Bretherton said during the launching of the 9th Aboitiz season yesterday.
According to AGFI executive vice president the initial grant of for the first tournament nine years ago was P20,000 while this year it has ballooned to P200,000.
This year, the Cebu Football Association organized Aboitiz Cup has gone regional with four teams joining the Youth Festival this week end plus new divisions for the coming Cup competitions while a two-division Men's League will be launched on Oct.
"The Aboitiz Group Foundation Inc wanted us to go regional this year," CebuFA president Jonathan Maximo said. For the weekend tournament, teams from Silliman University, Foundation University, Dumaguete FC will send representatives.
On the other hand, Maximo said teams from Cagayan, San Carlos City and the Makati Football School wanted to send team but they heard of the Aboitiz too late and will instead join next year.
This year's Aboitiz Youth Festival has also attracted over 1,240 players in 109 teams. "The number could have been bigger but we had to turn down some of the teams because field limitations," Maximo said.
New clubs and schools who will join this yea are from Blessed John Seminary, Camp Lapulapu National High School, Cebu Institute of Technology, Center for International Education, St Scholastica, Cebu City NSHS, FC Inter Cebu, Don Bosco Missionary Seminary, San Roque FC, Bright Academy and DB Youth Pasil.
The new divisions this year are the Players 6, Girls 17 and Girls 12.
"We wanted to split the women's division and instead of just holding the women's open we want another division so there will be an incentive for the schools to put up teams," Bretherton explained.
After the youth festivals, the regular Cup type competitions for the different age bracket will follow while the Men's League will be launched middle of next month.
The AGFI though is not resting on its laurels. Plans are being made to make the Aboitiz tourney a national tournament next year, while they are also scouring for a field to address the lack of venue for Cebu football.
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