Goal!

There’s a new star-studded soccer team in town! Coinciding with the increasing popularity of the Philippine Azkals is the official launch by Caltex Philippines of Supa Strikas, an animated soccer team that is very popular among young people around the world.

The Supa Strikas is a comic book series and TV show on Disney Channel. Besides this, Strika Entertainment is also expanding its reach and impact on the youth market by taking advantage of the Internet through the creation of an ultra-interactive website, Facebook and Twitter accounts of the famous players of the virtual teams.

Unlike most animated series poisoning the minds of the current generation of youngsters, parents have absolutely nothing to worry about if they see their kids addicted to watching the TV show or collecting the comic series. Supa Strikas is not the usual cartoons that are practically mindless humorous shows that border on the offensive by making fun of others and promoting the smart aleck mentality of spoiled brats. I was able to watch three episodes of the cartoon show with some of my students while riding a bus on a field trip and it was very interesting to note that my students who come from a lower socio-economic background were glued watching how Shakes, the star player of Supa Strikas, along with his team mates, constantly outsmart the evil schemes of their arch-rival, Invincible United. This is indeed solid proof that the story has universal appeal even to young people who are not familiar with the elite sport of soccer.

The key to the success of the show is the storyline’s aim of playing around the timeless themes of adventure and aspirations set in the world of a soccer league. The main character Shakes responds to a call to greatness by rising to the top, not just of his team but also of the whole league through talent, skill, and wit. Like any odyssey, Shakes and his team are faced with many obstacles and challenges posed by Invincible United, which relies on cheating and trash talking. As the story progresses, Shakes begins to understand that he cannot lead his team alone to victory and their success ultimately depends on their capacity to work as a team. Shakes, too, relies heavily on his friend and # 1 fan, Spenza, to keep him grounded and the latter shares words of wisdom with the talented player.

Perhaps Shakes’ good-natured character rubs off on his audience due to  the sincerity of the series’ creators Sean Flanagan and Richard Grenville. Having the opportunity to meet them personally, it is easy to admire the big hearts of the two CEOs as they recount how Supa Strikas began 10 years ago with an idea to create a series that would inspire young people to reach for their dreams while staying true to themselves at the same time. They are constantly thankful for the help extended to them by Caltex since the company was one of its first major sponsors in releasing the animated series to the market. The most evident proof, of course, is how the team wears proudly the Caltex star logo in their uniforms in both the print and TV versions of the series. The fruitful partnership is chiefly responsible for the remarkable success it has achieved as the series is popular in 20 countries across Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

Here in the Philippines, Strika Entertainment and Caltex have signed up another teammate — The Philippine STAR —to ensure the popularity of the series in the country. The Supa Strikas comic series is solely distributed by STAR and chronicled in a monthly 16-page comics given free every last Saturday of the month.

Sports has always been intrinsically tied to the way of life of many cultures and nations. It has its special impact on the youth as it is the perfect opportunity to mold their character through an engaging medium. Of late, it is sad to see how trash talking and even off-court cheating have tarnished many sporting leagues and events. The Supa Strikas series presents an alternative view of playing the game. It goes back to the original idea that athletes overcome obstacles and hurdles not through dirty tactics but solely through the skill and sportsmanship embodied by the athlete. Ultimately, it is hoped that these athletes also produce young people with the right set of values and attitudes as they face the real games in the real world. I believe that is the ultimate aim of the release of Supa Strikas to the Philippine market and, in no time at all, the individuals responsible for the partnership of Strika Entertainment, Caltex and The Philippine STAR will soon shout in unison: Goal!