By NIMROD NL QUIÑONES
Now that we’re done with the AFC President’s Cup, many are asking what is next for Cebu football.
There is a planned friendly in June, but nothing has been firmed up yet, so please allow the officers of the Cebu Football Association some time to relax and bask in the success of the recent tournament.
The CFA officials would not just be relaxing though as there is the Inter-club Tournament set next week. This is a project of the Cebu amateur Football Club, but many of the CFA board would also be actively helping out.
We’ve pulled through hosting the international tournament at the Cebu City Sports Center despite major odds that were stacked against us. There was the limited time to prepare, promote the event, and sell tickets. There were also many other challenges like having to deal with the fact that we can’t exclusively have the venue to ourselves due to the nature of the facility.
I’m just happy that all the hard work paid off.
One very important factor that could never be left off is the cooperation of the fans that went to the venue during the three days of the tournament.
Also equally important was how the fans behaved and impressed the match officials coming from different countries.
We are still a rather young footballing nation and many of those who went there were not even aware of what was happening, but let us not alienate those who are learning to appreciate the game that we have long loved.
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Late this afternoon, I went to the decrepit field in the central school of our town to kick around with my son Nico. This is something that we have done several times during this school break and hope to do more often.
In the past years, you can hardly see people kicking a football in this field, but these days many of the residents of Minglanilla, Cebu are playing the world’s number one sport.
Most of them are quite young like the bunch of teenagers, who I encouraged to have their club registered with the CFA, but there are also many dads like me, who still try to play the game for fun, fitness and for bonding with our children.
I hope something can be done to improve the field. Maybe I can ask one of my closest friends from our town and now Vice Mayor-elect Jojo Selma to help me out.
Football can be more fun if we have a better field and I believe the town of Minglanilla deserves to have one.
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MILESTONES: Congratulations to the winners of the May 13 polls and I wish you all the best. Please don’t disappoint those who believe you can make a difference and have given you their votes.
Happy birthday greetings go to my cousin Raiza Lebumfacil, Eena Choa-Gardner, Carlo Panganiban, and Alan Larot.
Belated greetings go to Lt. Gen Alan Luga and Sr. Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas, who also recently celebrated their birthdays.
More power to all of you!
