CFA @Carmeltown Football Cup 2019

I created this video two weeks courtesy of the parents who have been very supportive about CFA's blog. I've been holding back in posting and sharing this video because I wanted to have the official results of the 6th Carmeltown Football Cup.

But I couldn't wait any longer. So here it is, a compilation of photos and videos of the Cavite Football Academy  Teams  for Carmeltown Football Cup:



You may visit my Youtube chanel at The Brown Man Diary for more football, basketball and chess videos I made.

YFL Watch: A Photo-video from the May 19 Games

Here it is. All photos used in the video are owned by Youth Football League. Permission to use was granted.

Hope this inspires more kids and youth to get into sports...football!

CAFA Football Fever 2019

Cavite Football Association (CAFA), with the support of Cherifer Vitamin Products, kicked off the #AFC Grassroots Football Day Celebration 2019 one-day tournament called Football Fever at the football field of Philippine Christian University.

The AFC Grassroots Football Day Football Fever is a CAFA's share in promoting football in the grassroots. Photos grabbed (with permission) from Cavite Football Association FB Page.

And here are the results:

Born 2009

Champion: CAVITE FOOTBALL ACADEMY

1st Runner-Up: TALI FC

2nd Runner-Up: COMPRENDIO SOCCER ACADEMY “A”

3rd Runner-Up: COMPRENDIO SOCCER ACADEMY “B”

MVP: BASTI LUNA

Best Goalkeeper: TRAVIS PADUAN

Best Striker: DYWIK CRUZ

Best Defender: CARL INTELA

Best Coach: ANGELO GUENGON

Born 2007

Champion: TANAUAN FC

1st Runner-Up: CAVITE FOOTBALL ACADEMY

2nd Runner-Up: MABUHAY KIWANIS FC

3rd Runner-Up: TALI FC

MVP: CJ BUENO

Best Goalkeeper: SHERWIN AUSTRIA

Best Striker: CASCO

Best Defender: NICCO PADUAN

Best Coach: MARFIL MOHALLIN

Born 2005

Champion: CAVITE FOOTBALL

ACADEMY “A”

1st Runner-Up: CAVITE FOOTBALL ACADEMY “B”

2nd Runner-Up: COMPRENDIO SOCCER ACADEMY “A”

MVP: JOSH RAMOS

Best Goalkeeper: KYLE CRUZ

Best Striker: LUNA

Best Defender: ALFONSO DIONELA

Best Coach: MERV LIMBOC

Born 2003

Champion: COMPRENDIO SOCCER ACADEMY “A”

1st Runner-Up: COMPRENDIO SOCCER ACADEMY “B”

2nd Runner-Up: MABUHAY KIWANIS FC

MVP: JOSH DE GUZMAN

Best Goalkeeper: XIAN STEVEN CHUA

Best Striker: DEXTER LORIGA

Beat Defender: ENOCH AGGABAO

Best Coach: RENE COMPRENDIO

Born 2001

Champion: COMPRENDIO SOCCER ACADEMY

1st Runner-Up: MABUHAY KIWANIS FC

2nd Runner- UP: CONGRESSIONAL INTEGRATED FC

MVP: KENT DOREGO

Best Goalkeeper: JOHN KAM MISAGAL

Best Striker: RUZZEL JOSE

Best Defender: DARER CERVANTES

Best Coach: RENE COMPRENDIO

Girl’s Open

Champion: CAVITE FOOTBALL UNITED

1st Runner-Up: MABUHAY KIWANIS FC

2nd Runner-Up: COMPRENDIO SOCCER ACADEMY “A”

3rd Runner-Up: CONGRESSIONAL INTEGRATED FC

MVP: MARIA LUISA LAS POBRES

Best Goalkeeper: JOYCE MUÑEZ

Best Striker: ALETA MANDAP

Best Defender: STEPHANY CALLY

Best Coach: RERANTE URSAL

Men’s Open

Champion: CAVITE FOOTBALL UNITED

1st Runner-Up: KURE KING FC

2nd Runner-Up: ARELLANO CHIEFS

3rd Runner-Up: FLAME UTD CHERIFER FC

MVP: BODE OLAPIDO

Best Goalkeeper: MARK ANTHONY ARANTON

Best Striker: REYMART DELOS SANTOS

Best Defender: JULIAN ABASTILLAS

Best Coach: GEE ESPIQUE

And thank you once again to Mr Edric Luna for sharing us a video clip from the games:

Cavite football, by the looks of it, is simply having fun. Grassroots sports has always been about fun. 

Hats off to Cavite Football Association! And congratulations to all the participants, win or learn, you won something! 

They are having fun!

As a (CFA) Football Player and a Parent (Part 2)

Let me continue where we left off.

From the scholastic football games, we now move into the club games.

Football Clubs and Academies 

Club games and practices are usually on a weekend. Usually. But not always.

When there is school, club meetings are limited to once a week to give way to academic activities and other matters like football. Yes, like football.

Come Summer time, it could be dizzying or tiring for the unprepared.

Since football clubs are literally everywhere, from Aparri to Jolo and in between the three major islands of the Philippines. Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao have got what we call the best football programs with Visayas boasting of Barotac as the country's football capital.

So yes, as a player of Cavite Football Academy, one joins the weekly training at the football field of Philippine Christian University-Dasmarinas. Every Saturday, from 8 AM to 12 NN, rain or shine (sometimes earthquakes and flooding), they play with their buddies.

                                                     
                                                 Video Courtesy of Mr Edric Luna

With several clubs forming different teams for each age groups: Under 7, Under 9, Under 11, Under 13, Under 15 and Under 17, a player is never to run out of teams and tournaments to play. For each team, there are tournaments for every reason and season.

It is surprising to find out the organizations you encounter for each tournament. There are Regional Organizations like Luzon Football Association, Cavite Football Association, North Eastern Luzon Football Association, Laguna Football Association and many more.

AFC Grassroots Day Celebration at Carmona, Cavite. 05.15.2019

Football Moms at the AFC Grassroots Day Celebration

In the club level, you have Kaya Football Club, Green Archers United, Ceres-Negros Football Club, Atletico-Diliman Football Club, Alab Football Club, JPV- Marikina Football Club, Imus United Football Club, Stallions-Laguna Football Club and yes... and many more.

Isn't it amazing? Football is very much alive in our country. And that's one of the reasons why our youth players, if left unguided, might get lost or burn out with all the tournaments and training they take part of.

For CFA Players

They have played in various tournaments like:

• CAFA Cup
• Xavier Cup
• Philippine Football Federation's (PPF) Festival of Football (FoF)
• PFF's U15 National Championships
• San Lazaro Cup
• Youth Football League
• Gilligan's Cup
• And many more

Football parents have learned to work around the schedule and pressure of watching and sending their kids to football games. Some parents have the old-school approach to the extent of taking the coach stance during games. Some parents choose to act like normal member of the audience: claps-shouts-use-phone-repeat-cycle.

After six years of watching football games, I haven't understood this one football rule: The Offside Rule.

AFC Grassroots Day Celebration 2019

And after years of bringing them to football games, me and my wife have met people who have become regular weekend companions. Slowly, we have become certified football parent: burnt skin, husky voices, achy feet and thrilled to be with our kids (di ba?).

Expenses

Fortunate we are for we are part of Cavite Football Academy, a sports program under the Provincial Government of the Province of Cavite. CFA provides our kids the following support:

• Coaching and training are all free of charge

• Pick-up points, transportation to and from training and game venues

• Football kits (light and dark)

• Food during practice and games

• Five kilo of rice every two weeks

Imagine that?

In which area do we really spend money one?

Boots and more boots. For teenagers like mine, game day allowance is a must. Socks, shin guards too. Gas for car and food for everyone joining in the fun because you cannot spell fund without fun.

And that's what life is like for most of us football parents.

Thank you for taking time off to read. 

What It's Like to be a CFA Player and Parent? (Part 1)

I have one football-playing son.

The kuya chose to pursue another endeavor.

And as a player, here is a bit of a backgrounder on how we arrived at this moment in time. What it's like to be a football player and a parent to a football player?

He.

Tried to be part of his school's football team in his second grade with his kuya. OUT OF THE BLUE. I found out when they reached home.

This boy wasn't picked to make the team. He simply followed the line where his kuya was asked to get into. Turns out there were two lines for the try-outs, one for those who made the cut and one was for those who were cut out.

It started with them playing in the District meet. A multi-sports tournament where most of the schools in the district battles for the right to represent the district. If one makes it, they play against other districts within the city. In this case, the City of Imus.

Then you become the City Champions and will represent your city for the provincial meet. In the next level, you will play against city champions. Expect the competition to be tougher, faster, bigger and stronger.

Let's pause for awhile.

Can you imagine the preparation this boy have to go through for every tournament he would be joining? As an athlete, if you are one, you have an idea I'm sure. Eat, sleep, practice. Repeat.

Year-round.

Wait up!

As for parents?

Logistics. Transportation. Schedule for studies and training. Family events. School events.

Personal preferences. Wants. Wishes.

Weekly club training on top of the twice-a-week school training.

And here goes a simple convo:

Player: "I want to go too..."

Parent: "But what about your game?  Or the other way around.

Parent: "You need to go with us"

Player: "But I have a game?!"

By the way, we're talking about the competition at the provincial level, so far.

Once you beat everyone in the Provincial Meet, you earn the right to play at the Regionals. In our case it's called CALABARZON Meet or formally known as DEPED Regional Sports Competition.

In the first three years, we would always be part of the Imus City Football Team for CALABARZON.

On his last year in grade school, Imus City were the Provincial Meet Champions then  selected a few players from other cities to form the One Cavite Team.

In the San Pablo City Regional Games 2018, One Cavite Elementary Football Team bested everyone to become champions and play in the Palarong Pambansa Vigan City 2018.

And the Palarong Pambansa level is probably one of the toughest tournament for anyone to play in,  ever!

The preparation for this level?

Players live in the same quarters for two to four weeks leading up to the tournament.

Parent visits? Allowed but not often.

Imagine.

Again, imagine.

And this is your scholastic football. Grassroots football.

(to be continued)...

6th San Lazaro Cup

Here are the results for the 6th San Lazaro Cup more popularly known in Spanish as Copa San Lazaro.

The 6th Copa San Lazaro was held last April 28, 2019 at the San Lazaro Leisure and Business Park, Carmona, Cavite. Copa San Lazaro is bi-annual event and coming September, there will be a 9-a-side tournament.

Copa San Lazaro is an initiative of Manila Jockey Club (MJC) with Alab Football Club as a partner to run the tournament. The Cup was launched in 2016 and has had two editions every year except for 2017. Copa San Lazaro is sanctioned both by the Laguna Football Association and the Cavite Football Association. Games are officiated by referees from both Football Association.

Thank you to everyone who put in their time, effort and love to make this a success for Copa San Lazaro: Eduardo Ramirez De Arellano, VP for Marketing Manila Jockey Club and Mikki Cardenas.  We would also want to say thank you for the work they put in for game, Alab Football Club, an active member of the Laguna Football Association, headed by Joan Corpuz.

Thank you also to all the players, coaches and parents who, believe it or not, most likely share the same schedule on weekends and holidays.

Here are the winners:

Born 2011-2012

Champion: Calamba Puppies FC

1st Runner-up: Alab FC
2nd Runner-up: MJC Colts

Born 2009-2010
Champion: Bohemian SC

1st Runner-up:  Nasugbu Warriors
2nd Runner-up: Alab FC

Born 2007-2008
Champion: Nasugbu Warriors

1st Runner-up:  Bilibid FC
2nd Runner-up: Singapore School Manila

Born 2005-2006
Champion: MJC Colts

1st Runner-up:  Stallions FC
2nd Runner-up: Southern FC

Born 2003-2004
Champion: Bilibid FC

1st Runner-up: MJC Colts
2nd Runner-up: Stallions FC

Born 2001-2002
Champion:  Balayan FC

1st Runner-up: De LaSalle Dasmariñas
2nd Runner-up: Cavite Football United

Women's Open
Champion: Claret Football

1st Runner-up:  Cavite Football United-A
2nd Runner-up: Black Lions FC

Men's Open:
Champion: Lucban FC

1st Runner-up:  Black Lions FC - B
2nd Runner-up: Black Lions FC - A

Please visit the FB Page for Copa San Lazaro for the photos and other updates. You don't want to miss their upcoming event.

Football Clinics and Open Play in Cavite

Hello! What's up everyone?

I have something to tell you just in case you didn't know. Agua de Mayo happened right on the first day of May. Here's something I found online when I typed-in "first rains of May":

"AGUA de Mayo—a Spanish term which means “water of May”—refers to the first rainfall of May that is believed to have healing properties.

The rain drew much attention as it became a trending topic in Twitter, a social networking site. Questions about the “miracle” that comes with it have been raised here and there.

However, according to reports, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that there is no truth to the belief that Agua de Mayo brings healing."

And yes, April is gone and for most of our young ones, June is merely five weeks away. The'll be back in the classrooms soon.

So what can our soon-to-be-classroom-loungers do in the next five weeks?

Send them to football clinics and open plays, As-Soon-As-Possible!

I'm sharing some of the announcements here, I am in no way paid to run these posters here. You may call them directly.

Immaculate Conception Academy in Dasmarinas City is the feeder program of Emilio Aguinaldo College for the Philippines' National Collegiate Athletic Association. Why not start connecting with the coaches there if you wish your son's football skills be showcased in the nationals?

For an inspiration, check out my former student at Beacon School with the news Xavi Zubiri Brings La Salle to Final Four, my boy wearing Jersey #15.

Futbol Fanatics is the first football school my sons joined and learned from. I think their summer camp ends with the Belo Cup at the Cuenca Field in Ayala Alabang Village.

For those residing in the "upland" part (Dasmarinas, Silang, Trece Martirez, General Trias and Tagaytay), check out Coach Segundo "Gonie" Seluria Jr.'s Football Clinic:

PCU-Damarinas Football Clinic

Saturdays 

4 PM to 6 PM with PCU Club UNTIL 1st Week of June

3x a week after 1st week of June

12 sessions 

Php 2,500.00 for Non-PCU Students 

Php 2,000.00 for PCU Students

Starts May 4, 2005

And if you want them to get a "feel" of the game, you can bring them to an Open Play. What is an open play? It's like a pick-up game in basketball. Providing your child the opportunity to play the game will allow them to find out if it is something they want to pursue. King's Alley Football does just that.

Play on!