Cebu Football

Here are a few more pictures of the just concluded First Cebu Beach Football Open at the beaches of Moalboal. The event was sanctioned by the Beach Football Association of the Philippines, and I think it is the first event that the BFAP has sanctioned here. There were 16 teams in all two divisions, with 11 joining the men's side.

IT SEEMS playing regularly in a field that is more sand than grass is an advantage for the San Roque Football Club (SRFC). This after the Mandaue-based club swept both Men’s and Women’s divisions in the just concluded 1st Cebu Beach Football Open at the Basdako Beach in Moalboal over the weekend. “It’s an advantage if most of your players learn to play football, barefoot,” said SRFC’s Eleazer Toledo of their two teams. After beating Cebu XP, a team made mostly of expatriates, in the semifinals, San Roque went on with a cardiac finish in the finals.

It's another year and it's been quite a ride. Happy feet and all. Though Eragon should have gone back to the storyboard for a massive overhaul, Peter vs. Sylar should have been played out more. And if you know what I am talking about, then you are either me or you are "part of my house." I'm a year older (rather, a year and a day older).

There are only two awardees for football during the Sportswriters Association of Cebu-SMC All Cebu Sports Awards. Don Bosco College and Manfred Schuwerk. FC Inter Cebu, is not one of them.

If I'm not mistaken, the CebuFA elections will be next month. A month after the whole country is gripped (or sat nonchalant) by the recent mid-term elections, the Cebu Football community will select their own. There are factions and factions within a faction in Cebu Football. How will that play in the elections is interesting. Will all this factions unite and be one for Cebu football, or shall we all utter the first syllable of the word "faction." As to the current president, from previous formal and informal talks, he has indicated he'd rather be lynched than run again. Cebu football is one of the most publicized football community in the country. Manila doesn't count simply because about 8 of 10 stories that comes out in the papers comes with a katsing (simulated sound of a cash register). Stay tuned.

I've just heard that the family of Chad Gould is planning to hold a clinic here in Cebu together with the Younghusband brothers. Now a chance like this is rare for Cebu-based footballers-- participating in a clinic conducted by three mainstays of the RP team.

The Don Bosco College elementary football team was named the major awardee for football in the 25th Sportswriters Association of Cebu-SMC All Cebu Sports Awards last May 18 at the Casino Español de Cebu. The DBC team received their award for winning the Palarong Pambansa title in Naga City last year.

from Sun.Star Cebu TWO Cebu-based players were named to the national Youth Under13 Team after wowing coaches in the Center for Football Excellence try out last month held here in Cebu. Thomas Louis Booth and Rogelio Yngayo will play for the RP team during the Asian Football Confederation Under13 Festival of Football 2007, which will held on June 5-9 in Saba, Malaysia.

This year's SAC-SMC All Cebu awardees for football are the Don Bosco College elementary team and Manfred Schuwerk. DBC got their award for winning the 2006 Palarong Pambansa title last year, while Manfred got his for his unselfish support of football with his local teams and for organizing the Ticgahon Cup among others.

There's another sports blog in town folks, and this one is by one of my favorite columnists--John Pages. Though he's more of a tennis (contrary to popular belief, you don't strain your neck watching tennis, you strain your eyebrows--was that in? and she's got Sharapovasque legs) guy, he also dabbles in other sports. Check this out. www.pages.ph. Let's just hope, he won't get a deluge of e-mails from you-know-who.

The secondary football games were held at the Notre Dame of Marbel University-BED campus, while the elementary games were at the NDMU main campus, just across the South Cotabato Sports Complex (formerly Smraa stadium). Now, the field in the stadium is in fine condition, but only the field events of athletics were held there. Those who coveted playing in the well-maintained (this is a dig at CCSC) South Cotabato may take this: In the first three days of the Palaro some 92 participants in athletics fainted under the relentless Koronadal heat. I guess, those trees at both NDMU venues provided more than a shade for the spectators. All pics again courtesy of Dr. JP.

The Central Visayas squad bowed out after losing a tough match to Davao Region, 0-1, in their fourth game in the Palaro, knocking them out in the (What do you expect?) meet which used the double-knockout system. After winning their first match against Iraa, 4-1, Cviraa got booted into the losers' bracket after a humbling 1-8 loss to defending champion Western Visayas in that game (the only game I managed to watch) Here is the first batch of pictures from the Palaro all contributed by Dr. JP, who traveled all the way to the land of the pineapples to catch their games.