By NIMROD NL QUIÑONES
My good friend and doting soccer mom Joan Young-Tiu posted on her Facebook wall about Wednesday’s game between Cebu’s Queen City United and Global Football Club of Leyte at the Cebu City Sports Center.
Yes, that is right, Global FC is from Leyte.
The two teams will clash in the eliminations of the Philippine Football Federation-Smart National Club Championships.
I won’t elaborate on all details on why this came about and how this happened, but I’d like to invite the football fans to watch the game at 2 p.m. Entrance fee is only P10.
Global, winner of the national title last year, is the same team that represented the Philippines in the AFC President’s Cup that was played in Cebu last May.
The team has several players of the Philippine national team, who we fondly call as the Azkals, in its line-up.
This match is definitely worth watching and even if it is a long shot, let’s go and root for the Cebu team.
By the way, Joan also posted that QCU supporters are encouraged to wear blue.
Hope to see the Cebu football fans at the game. I’ll be wearing blue.
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Many non-footballers have learned to love the sport because of their children.
I have seen many dads and moms develop the love for the world’s number one game because their son or daughter is playing the game.
This is a very good thing that is happening and I hope we will have many more responsible parents who would develop a love for the game.
I would just like to throw caution to those who overdo their participation. While as parents we are after the best for our children, there are also people running the teams, who are looking after what is best for the team and the sport in general.
Let us support our kids in their participation in sports and remember the role that we play – we are parents and not the team coach or athletic director.
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Oftentimes I come across complaints from parents about how coaches or school officials are not treating their children well.
I also get complaints from coaches and school officials about how parents have overstepped and are trying to run the whole thing to the detriment of the team.
My son started formal football training at the age of 4 under coach Glenn Ramos. Every school break since then was spent at the football field and a few years later even afternoons during school days were are spent at the field.
I met many parents and made many good friends in the process. While some of us played football when we were younger, some were introduced to the game only when their kids started playing.
Our main roles were as drivers, water boys, towel boys, and financiers. Our children are lucky because they have parents who care so much.
We were also lucky as it allowed us time to play and eventually many of us also tried playing the game helping us relive our younger years and also to show to our children that we can also enjoy the sport as much as they do.
How we fared as players is another story that I might tell one of these days.
