The Imus United Football Club's Recent Accomplishments

IUFC Official Logo

Imus United Football Club (IUCF) has been active for less than three years and slowly, they have been joining football tournaments outside of Imus City. IUFC boasts of several youth teams ready to play in various age-groups.

Imus United Football Club (IUCF) has been active for less than three years and slowly, they have been joining football tournaments outside of Imus City. IUFC boasts of several youth teams ready to play in various age-groups. They have Under 9, Under 13 up to Senior Men's Team.

Coach Lee and the Kids

As young as their club is, we can see a potential in the club's growth in terms of membership and organization's direction. With the steady increase of the game's popularity in the City, I am casting my hope and support to IUFC's success. 

Here are the tournaments and rankings they have played in the last six months:

Training Day at Tishabet Field, Imus City

• 1st Runner-up U9 Division, 13th CAFA Cup
• 16th Natividad Comprendio Memorial All-Girls Football Festival
• 4th Over-all, Men's Division, Kicksand Beach Football Festival
• 1st Runner-Up, IUFC A, Born 2006, Manila Premier Sports League 
• 2nd Runner-Up, IUFC B, Born 2006, Manila Premier Sports League 

Kicksand Beach Football Festival, Sands SM By the Bay MOA

Imus United Football Club

Introducing Imus United Football Club, incorporated:

A club founded in April 2016, IUFC,Inc., is a non-profit organization which aims to develop athletes capable of availing scholarships to ensure their future.

Coach Lee Geluz is the club's team manager and currently an assistant to the Director for Youth Development of Imus City. He has worked as part of the coaching staff of NOMADS Football Academy and De La Salle Santiago Zobel School. 

A product of Elizabeth Seton-South, Coach Lee went on to play football for Topshot FC and IUFS Senior Team. He trains kids every Saturday PRO BONO. Le' me repeat, PRO BONO. Libre, for free year-round.  

IUFC has helped trained, discovered talents in the city and was instrumental last year in preparing the Imus City football teams for the DEPED qualifiers to Palarong Pambansa. They also meet regularly for training at the Tishabet Field, a place where dreams are made and goals are worked on.

Tishabet Field is also a venue for many sports events. IUFC has also used the newly-built Imus City Grandstand with an artificial grass football pitch.

Let's check out some photos:

  We will be hearing more from them in the next few weeks,

Rehash: UAAP 81 Football Ateneo Crowned Kings, La Salle Crowned as Queens

Here's a throwback, although it's not Thursday.

In the UAAP Season 81 Women's Football Finals, at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium, De La Salle University completed a three-peat women's football championship with a 2-0 win over Far Eastern University.

It was a battle between the two most winning women's soccer programs, as each university boasted ten women's soccer championships.

In the Men's division, Ateneo de Manila University does a comeback as they defeated De La Salle University 2-1 to reclaim the throne and be the Kings of Football for UAAP Season 81.

What do we know about scholastic football in our country?

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)...

College Football: Ateneo versus La Salle

UAAP Men's Football. Traditional rivals. Powerhouse schools. Best of the best. College Football. 

The Season 81 of UAAP Men's Football Championship will be played be Ateneo Manila University and De La Salle University. The Green Archers won against  University of the Philippines while Blue Eagles won over Far Eastern University in their respective semi-final matches.

And our championship game will be on:

Thursday, 4 PM

May 16, 2019

Rizal Memorial Stadium

Let's take look at the semis games:

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 Tryouts: Metro Manila Schools

Have you considered your athletic talent as a means to travel? Or support your education—in your dream school, no less?

A sports scholarship is a grant made to support a student’s education based on his or her ability to play a sport. This scholarship award could be a partial or full discount on tuition fee for college, university or private high school. The usual grant include s boardand lodging and other school fees including uniform and books. And from what I've seen firsthand as a coach, financial allowance to the student-athlete is also part of the package in some super-big schools. The "offer" if there is one, is much bigger if the student-athlete is a blue chip recruit. A scholastic sports program, with tremendous backing from their alumni, will never give up easily on a talent and will mive mountains just to get the player.

Exaggeration? Seriously not.

Want to find out if you've got what it takes to make the cut?  Then check out the photos below for the schedule of tryouts:

Cavite Football's Wonderful Winning Ways

Cavite football has won and continue to find ways to get into podium finishes in the last two weeks. Interestingly, Cavite Football Academy is part of every conversation today because of the current success the program is having.

First on the list and the most recent, CFA Teams U11 and U13 win the season opener of the Speed Regalo Padala-Youth Football League at the Alabang Country Club last weekend, March 31, 2019. 

Green Archers United U13 YFL 2019

Green Archers United U11 YFL 2019

And on the same day the younger kids won their YFL matches, the CFA players from the Born 2004-2005 played and won the 1st Tanauan Cup Championship in Batangas.

And remember CFA winning the Philippine Football Federation Regional Championship for the U15? Look back into the post here.

CFA U15 PFF Regionals FoF Champions 2019

Congratulations to Cavite Football Academy! Let us all be thankful to all the people, office staff, coaches, parents and agencies supporting the program!