Future Azkals

From posts over the Pinoy Football page on Facebook, I’ve been able to get updates about the games of the Azkals in Myanmar. In case you are among those who haven’t heard of who are the Azkals, that’s the monicker of the Philippine football team. Yes, football like soccer in the States as some would always insist.

I have been a sportswriter for almost 22 years now and I continue to meet people, who seem to have barely any idea about football, the world’s most popular sport. Yes, they don’t know that too hehehe…

The Azkals were scheduled to play Palestine yesterday, but according to one post on the page, it was reported that the military junta in Myanmar denied the request to air the games of the Azkals live on television.

Thanks to modern technology we can still follow what’s happening in Yangon, although most of us would have preferred to watch the action on TV so we don’t look weird having to pump our fists or suddenly scream in excitement when we see the updates on the Internet.

This school break, many schools are offering football training for its students and those from other schools, so if you hope to see your kids become members of the national team some day, now is the best time to start.

I also hope to see the towns and cities of Cebu, where football is not yet very popular, to also initiate efforts to hold clinics that would give the children something to be busy with this April and May.

As a parent, I know how hard it is to deal with edgy kids at home when they have nothing to do and we don’t also want them to spend the school vacation hunched over the personal computer playing games or going through videos over Youtube or logging into the various social networking sites.

Many children start with football as their first sport and eventually go to other events as they grow older.

My simple analogy is that if your kid plays football, he doesn’t have to be strong enough to dribble or lift a ball and getting to kick the ball around is easy.

I have also observed that football develops the stamina of the child as well as his agility and footwork, which are also very useful in other sports.

Many parents don’t get their kids into sports for fear of injury. I had some scary moments as a parent myself, but then it is best that you enroll your child in a program that is handled by competent people.

How do you know if these people are competent? First, check their track record by knowing how long they have been doing it and who are their products.

Second, check if the facility they use is safe and that if they have equipment that are working fine.

You can also ask for referrals from other parents and sports leaders.

If your budget is the problem, there are many free clinics that you can get your kids into. In Cebu City, you can head out to the Cebu City Sports Institute in barangay San Nicolas where there are free trainings for various sports.

There are also many other trainings set in various barangays around Cebu City for the school break, which will be announced soon.

Get your kids into sports.

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MILESTONES: Belated happy birthday greetings to The Freeman news editor Lucky Malicay, who turned a year older the other day.

Today’s greetings go to Jose Venancio ‘Banjo’ Ramirez, Fatima Montesclaros, Johann Young, and Jo Anne Avenido-Arevalo.

Advance birthday greetings to those celebrating tomorrow like Julius Legaspi, Doris Salonoy, and Ruby Chico.

More power to all of you!