Late night football

It was the first time that I experienced it - playing football in the evening with so many people still around to watch the games. It was fun, but was also very tiring and work plus the kids to take to school were to be attended to the next day.

Last Sunday, I played in the men's 36 and above category of the Aboitiz Cup Football Festival at the Cebu City Sports Center. Although I wanted so much for my team - Queen City United Football Club-B, to make it to the finals, I was just glad that our day ended shortly before the clock struck midnight.

I learned the next day that the games ended at around 2 am. I was already in bed by then. I pity my friends who were still there at the sports center, but I'm sure it was a lot of fun for them.

With a record field participating in this year's festival, the organizers were forced to come up with a schedule that would allow them to give everybody a fair chance to play enough games that would satisfy their craving for football action.

There were even several teams from outside Cebu and I'm sure we can look forward to seeing them again in future events.

Many of those I talked to last Sunday night somehow liked the idea of playing night games during the first few hours. But, when the night dragged on, their feelings somehow turned around and were already thinking of the kids to take to school and the meetings that they had to attend the next day.

Maybe the organizers of that great tournament can make some necessary adjustments the next time.

Overall though, the Aboitiz Cup Football Festival was again a major showcase of what is happening in the local football community. It was also a wake up call for government to extend more support to the sport and build more facilities where people can play.

The Cebu City Sports Center proved to be an ideal venue for soccer games and festivals, but unfortunately it also opened the eyes of many to the sad state of the city's premiere public sports facility.

It has been some time since I have seen the rubberized track oval up close and I felt very sad to see the state that it is now in.

Of course we don't expect it to be in the same shape as it was 12 years ago after the stadium was built and we hope that some funds can be released to change the rubberized track as soon as possible.

It was also timely that last Monday I received e-mail from Tita Monette Aliño of the Mariquita Salimbangon Yeung Charitable Foundation Inc. She was telling me about the sad state of the sports center and was hoping something can be done about it.

Maybe we can start a foundation that would raise funds to fix the facility like change the rubberized track and improve the bleachers and many other things in the facility.

The CCSC is the main training facility of our athletes and the haven of thousands of sports and fitness enthusiasts in Cebu, let us do something to keep it that way.

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MILESTONES: Several friends have celebrated their birthdays the past few days and please allow me to greet them.

Last Saturday, Guido Armas and Rosame Odever-Ofianga turned a year older. Guido hosted a huge party for our elementary class at the Cebu City Marriott Hotel complete with all the mardi gras accessories he brought in from the US.

Carrie Sabello and Raquel Duterte also celebrated their birthdays last Sunday.

Belated birthday greetings also go to Maj. Antonio 'Chuck' G. Mangoroban, Jr. of the Philippine Marines, who turned a year older yesterday.

Today is the birthday of Graeme MacKinnon, who is back in Australia, but still very much a Cebuano by heart.

More power to all of you!