Hot weather

The competitors in the Australian Open have complained about the soaring temperatures and how such has not only affected their game, but their overall health.

While we ask for fair weather when we take part in sporting events, too much sun is not good for us.

I spent one summer inside Camp Aquino in Tarlac, Tarlac in what was an experimental "beast barracks" initiated by the Philippine Military Academy for the plebes of class 1991 back in 1987. Tarlac is probably one of the hottest places to be during the summer months here in our country.

It was so hot there that several of my classmates fell to heatstroke and dehydration. That experience in Tarlac was an eye-opener for me on surviving during extremely hot weather. We were required to have a canteen full of water all the time and were even provided with salt tablets.

One thing that you have to make sure when it gets hot is that you must not forget to drink water.

Sports magazines often give us all sorts of tips that we can use to improve our game. Probably the most useful tip that I always made sure to follow came from Golf Digest - don't wait until you're thirsty before you drink water.

I hope the participants of the 26th Coral Invitational are keeping that in mind. After two weeks of rain, Cebu is experiencing great weather these days.

Making sure you have enough water to drink would also be essential when you join the procession on Saturday and enjoy the Mardi Gras on Sunday.

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This Saturday, Don Bosco Technology Center in Punta Princesa will be hosting the Don Bosco Football Festival.

There will be games from players 6 to the 35 and above categories.

Coach Glen Ramos, who is busy putting the event together, told me that this event is backed solely by Don Bosco, a known haven for football in this part of the country long before the sports was this big.

Last year, I remember attending the Don Bosco Festival, but the event was much smaller with only a few teams participating.

This Saturday should be a fun day for the Cebu football community. This will also give us a reason to stay away from the heavy traffic that will be brought about by the festivities for the Sinulog.

Football has always been a great way to bring families together and this festival will be another testament that sports can really bind us closer.

I cannot anymore count the number of football festivals that I have attended and one thing that always makes me very happy is seeing fathers, mothers, and their children gather for a day or two of sporting fun.

After this we'll have the Thirsty Football Festival in February and then some more for the rest of the year.

This means we'll have to arm ourselves with our folding chairs and coolers again as we take care of our football playing children.

See you at the field.