Football fires off in 2015

It’s going to be football frenzy all over again as the Cebu Football year fires off with two major events in January. The year started off with the annual Sinulog Cup Football Festival two weekends ago with over a hundred teams starting off their year through a seven-a-side weekend tournament. With that serving as an appetizers of sorts, now comes the biggest and most prestigious tournament of the year: the 17th Aboitiz Football Cup which kicks off with its opening ceremony today at the Cebu City Sports Center.

 The brand Aboitiz has long been at the forefront of Cebu Football and has been the center point and benchmark for all the developments that the sport has been through all these years. Just about all Cebuano football players have played in an Aboitiz Football Cup and have used the league as a springboard to greater heights. To-date, we now have players who have participated in practically all age groups of the league, starting when they were still kids learning how to play the sport in the Under 7 age group. They have risen through the ranks (and the age groups) and now find themselves playing in the higher age groups or divisions. Just take a look at the players of clubs like Don Bosco, SHS-Ateneo de Cebu, PAREF Springdale, USC, Abellana, Canduman and more. Many of the players of today’s college or men’s open teams played in the grassroots age groups when they were younger. Some of them played against each other while they were younger and are now teammates in the “older” clubs. And it doesn’t stop there. Many products of the Aboitiz Football Cup have even taken it to another level: the international scene.

 At today’s opening ceremony, four girls of the Philippine Under 14 Girls national team will be recognized for being part of the team that placed second in an Asian Football Confederation regional tournament in Vietnam last year. The runner-up trophy was the country’s best ever finish for any girls or ladies team in Philippine football history. But not only were the four part of the team, they were key performers who led the offense at the Vietnam tournament. It’s only fitting then that Arantxa Marie Trebol, Itsuko Bacatan, Alexandrea Gumilao and Jan Reese Jumawan take a bow and be cited for their gallant stand with a team that wasn’t expected to make it past the group stage. Bacatan was tied at second place for the most number goals scored in the tournament with four. Trebol booted in two goals of her own. The team won all three games in their group, including a morale-boosting 1-0 win over home team Vietnam. They then toppled Myanmar, 2-1, in the semifinals before bowing to powerhouse Thailand in the finals, 1-2.

 And so today the record number of over 180 teams march at the opening ceremony of the tournament that has served Cebu Football too well. There are teams in 15 age groups or divisions: Under 7, 9, 11, 13 (mixed); Under 15 Boys, Under 15 Girls, Under 18 Boys, Under 18 Girls, Under 23 Men’s, Men’s Open, Ladies Open, Inter Company Men’s, Inter Company Ladies, Inter BPO, and 38 Above. Did I hear 45 Above? Special guests at the opening ceremonies are Jaime Jose Aboitiz and Txabi Aboitiz Trustees of the Aboitiz Foundation. Aboitiz Foundation EVP and COO Sonny Carpio will also attend the ceremony along with AVP for Operations Danny Cerence, Jowelle Ann Cruz (Manager) and Rechiel Cordova. Edward Hayco, Chairman of the Cebu City Sports Commission will deliver the Welcome Address while CFA President will declare the tournament open. Arantxa Marie Trebol of SHS-Ateneo de Cebu will lead the Oath of Fair Play along with her three national teammates. The VIPs will then make the ceremonial kick-off and lighting of the torch (combined).

 Games get going next week at different venues. No Aboitiz Sports Field? No problem! The show must go on. There’s just a need to be resourceful creative, network-friendly and flexible. Venues to be tapped include Don Bosco, SHS-Ateneo de Cebu, San Roque and the Cebu City Sports Center.

 And so for the 17th time, Cebu Football fires off with its biggest tournament ever tournament. Thanks so much to the Aboitiz Foundation for supporting Cebu Football, and for serving as the springboard for the development of players and the sport.

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 Time-out: Happy birthday to Bro. Benj Espiritu!