Pascual: From accidental keeper to RP No. 1
From Sun.Star Cebu
By Gessa Marie T. Gunhuran
STC Media Intern
WHAT was once an extra-curricular activity for a seven-year-old became the reason that got him to represent the Philippine football team to China.
From an accidental keeper to the country’s No. 1, Paolo Pascual sure has come a long way.
Now 19, and a sophomore student at the University of San Carlos, Pascual never dreamed of one day, being a member of the RP team that played five other Asian countries in the Asian Football Confederation 19-Under Qualifying Round.
“I first played soccer when I was in first grade. It was one of the clubs offered in my former school, Springdale,” he said.
That was way back in the early 2000 when Australian football guru Graeme Mackinnon and Mario Ceniza started the program for Springdale.
No one was willing to become the keeper, so Pascual got the spot. He also got a good headstart in training under Michael Casas, who is another ward of Mackinnon and Ceniza who became the youngest keeper to start for the RP U23 and senior teams.
Since then, Springdale has been a regular fixture in local and national tournaments and the school also led Cebu City and Central Visayas in the regional and national tournaments of the Department of Education.
And during those times, Pascual was a regular member of the squad, manning the post, and even getting to play as a striker during blowouts.
The highlight of his campaign for Central Visayas was winning the silver medal in the Palarong Pambansa in 2007.
From donning the No. 1 jersey—assigned for the top keeper of the team--for Cebu City and Central Visayas squads, the eldest child of Drs. Chona and Joel got a chance to try out for the national team.
A trial was held last summer in Negros and Pascual felt that it was too good to pass up. So with the support of his parents, he grabbed the chance.
Training camp
And just last month, while he was still playing for the University of San Carlos (USC) in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc., he got called to join the training camp for the China-bound Under-19 squad.
A spot in the team wasn’t even assured as he was competing with three other keepers for the position, but the only Cebuano in the camp had an advantage.
“I like his attitude and he is also aggressive. I also like his height and if he just performs consistently in the training camp, he will have a chance to make the team,” RP team U19 goalkeeper coach Noel Marcaida told Sun.Star Cebu prior to the training camp.
After a tortuous camp in Manila, Pascual got his dream after he was named the starting keeper.
The AFC U19 Qualifiers was held at the Linzi Stadium and Zibo Sports Center Stadium in Xiangdong Zibo—one of the AFC Vision Asia host cities in China.
Unlike the other squads who trained for months for a major tournament, Pascual said that his team lacked practice since all members came from different places in the country. The team practiced daily for only wo weeks in Manila then flew to China last Oct. 29.
“It was a good experience. It was very nice. We stayed in a hotel and they treated us very well. What we wanted, we got. The football match was, indeed, a learning experience,” the Pascual said.
The learning experience had the Philippines seeing a lot of goals—too bad most of them came from the other side.
A shell-shocked RP team lost to China, 13-0, in the first game on Nov. 1; 6-0 to Myanmar on Nov. 3; 8-0 to North Korea Nov. 6; and 4-2 to Malaysia on Nov. 11.
The first half against China ended 10-0, with the host scoring almost every four minutes. In the second half, their defense got a bit tighter and Pascual even saved a penalty from the Chinese captain, but a five-minute lapse did them in. And in the international game, a five-minute lapse meant three goals.
Cold weather
The Chinese fans cheered wildly for their squad in the first half and after the match, also applauded the Philippine team for a better showing in the second half.
Pascual said the Chinese were a lot taller and quicker compared to them. The whole team also had to adjust to the cold weather—10°C—and had to wear thick clothing for protection.
When asked which game he thinks was the best for him, he smiled saying that it was the match against Korea in the Asian championship, since it was the most challenging.
Before their game, Korea was trailing China on goal difference—11 to 23—for No. 1 spot in the group and needed to win by more than 13 goals to overtake the host.
The Philippines had a chance to win against Guam, whose players they’ve already befriended, and were leading 2-1 before Guam, which had five players of Filipino lineage, equalized three minutes from time.
Now that he is back home, the Cebuano is back concentrating on his Business Administration Major in Entrepreneurship studies at USC. At the same time, he also plays for the USC varsity team in various local tournaments.
His sport doesn’t affect his studies since he has his ever-supportive family and friends.
“My father is my inspiration. Both of my parents are also interested in football. And my whole family has been supporting me all the time,” said Paolo, whose younger sisters Niña Camille, 17, and Carmel Marie, 15, have also tried football.
His father Joel is also his regular companion in football games, even outside Cebu.
This guy-next-door enjoys the company of his friends. Aside from playing football, he is involved in a religious-affiliated organization Bukas Loob sa Diyos. Paolo also has a band “6 Years to Fame,” which plays rock songs and their own compositions. He, together with his former classmates at Cebu Doctors’ University, has been performing for almost two years.
Aside from the band, he is also into other sports.
“I also play basketball, tennis and even billiards,” said the 5’11” Pascual.
As for his stint for the RP team, Pascual says other aspiring athletes should never give up.
“I almost gave up playing football when I entered college. I felt tired and wanted to quit,” he said.
However, he could not stop since he still enjoys playing the game he loves.
And that love for the game led to his China stint.
And despite the mild frostbite he got in China, he expressed his gratitude for being chosen as one of the lucky few to play for the Philippines.
He is also grateful that even though he and his teammates weren’t able to bring home the bacon, they feel honored to play for their country.
By Gessa Marie T. Gunhuran
STC Media Intern
WHAT was once an extra-curricular activity for a seven-year-old became the reason that got him to represent the Philippine football team to China.
From an accidental keeper to the country’s No. 1, Paolo Pascual sure has come a long way.
Now 19, and a sophomore student at the University of San Carlos, Pascual never dreamed of one day, being a member of the RP team that played five other Asian countries in the Asian Football Confederation 19-Under Qualifying Round.
“I first played soccer when I was in first grade. It was one of the clubs offered in my former school, Springdale,” he said.
That was way back in the early 2000 when Australian football guru Graeme Mackinnon and Mario Ceniza started the program for Springdale.
No one was willing to become the keeper, so Pascual got the spot. He also got a good headstart in training under Michael Casas, who is another ward of Mackinnon and Ceniza who became the youngest keeper to start for the RP U23 and senior teams.
Since then, Springdale has been a regular fixture in local and national tournaments and the school also led Cebu City and Central Visayas in the regional and national tournaments of the Department of Education.
And during those times, Pascual was a regular member of the squad, manning the post, and even getting to play as a striker during blowouts.
The highlight of his campaign for Central Visayas was winning the silver medal in the Palarong Pambansa in 2007.
From donning the No. 1 jersey—assigned for the top keeper of the team--for Cebu City and Central Visayas squads, the eldest child of Drs. Chona and Joel got a chance to try out for the national team.
A trial was held last summer in Negros and Pascual felt that it was too good to pass up. So with the support of his parents, he grabbed the chance.
Training camp
And just last month, while he was still playing for the University of San Carlos (USC) in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc., he got called to join the training camp for the China-bound Under-19 squad.
A spot in the team wasn’t even assured as he was competing with three other keepers for the position, but the only Cebuano in the camp had an advantage.
“I like his attitude and he is also aggressive. I also like his height and if he just performs consistently in the training camp, he will have a chance to make the team,” RP team U19 goalkeeper coach Noel Marcaida told Sun.Star Cebu prior to the training camp.
After a tortuous camp in Manila, Pascual got his dream after he was named the starting keeper.
The AFC U19 Qualifiers was held at the Linzi Stadium and Zibo Sports Center Stadium in Xiangdong Zibo—one of the AFC Vision Asia host cities in China.
Unlike the other squads who trained for months for a major tournament, Pascual said that his team lacked practice since all members came from different places in the country. The team practiced daily for only wo weeks in Manila then flew to China last Oct. 29.
“It was a good experience. It was very nice. We stayed in a hotel and they treated us very well. What we wanted, we got. The football match was, indeed, a learning experience,” the Pascual said.
The learning experience had the Philippines seeing a lot of goals—too bad most of them came from the other side.
A shell-shocked RP team lost to China, 13-0, in the first game on Nov. 1; 6-0 to Myanmar on Nov. 3; 8-0 to North Korea Nov. 6; and 4-2 to Malaysia on Nov. 11.
The first half against China ended 10-0, with the host scoring almost every four minutes. In the second half, their defense got a bit tighter and Pascual even saved a penalty from the Chinese captain, but a five-minute lapse did them in. And in the international game, a five-minute lapse meant three goals.
Cold weather
The Chinese fans cheered wildly for their squad in the first half and after the match, also applauded the Philippine team for a better showing in the second half.
Pascual said the Chinese were a lot taller and quicker compared to them. The whole team also had to adjust to the cold weather—10°C—and had to wear thick clothing for protection.
When asked which game he thinks was the best for him, he smiled saying that it was the match against Korea in the Asian championship, since it was the most challenging.
Before their game, Korea was trailing China on goal difference—11 to 23—for No. 1 spot in the group and needed to win by more than 13 goals to overtake the host.
The Philippines had a chance to win against Guam, whose players they’ve already befriended, and were leading 2-1 before Guam, which had five players of Filipino lineage, equalized three minutes from time.
Now that he is back home, the Cebuano is back concentrating on his Business Administration Major in Entrepreneurship studies at USC. At the same time, he also plays for the USC varsity team in various local tournaments.
His sport doesn’t affect his studies since he has his ever-supportive family and friends.
“My father is my inspiration. Both of my parents are also interested in football. And my whole family has been supporting me all the time,” said Paolo, whose younger sisters Niña Camille, 17, and Carmel Marie, 15, have also tried football.
His father Joel is also his regular companion in football games, even outside Cebu.
This guy-next-door enjoys the company of his friends. Aside from playing football, he is involved in a religious-affiliated organization Bukas Loob sa Diyos. Paolo also has a band “6 Years to Fame,” which plays rock songs and their own compositions. He, together with his former classmates at Cebu Doctors’ University, has been performing for almost two years.
Aside from the band, he is also into other sports.
“I also play basketball, tennis and even billiards,” said the 5’11” Pascual.
As for his stint for the RP team, Pascual says other aspiring athletes should never give up.
“I almost gave up playing football when I entered college. I felt tired and wanted to quit,” he said.
However, he could not stop since he still enjoys playing the game he loves.
And that love for the game led to his China stint.
And despite the mild frostbite he got in China, he expressed his gratitude for being chosen as one of the lucky few to play for the Philippines.
He is also grateful that even though he and his teammates weren’t able to bring home the bacon, they feel honored to play for their country.
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