Game of life

I was supposed to write about Kiefer Ravena sharing his MVP trophy with Kevin Ferrer, a rival inside the basketball court and a friend outside it.

I passed up on it and just slept.

When I woke up, I thought about writing boxer Tyson Fury, who stunned Wladimir Klitschko to crown himself new heavyweight champion and making the dying sport relevant to watch out for again.

I changed my mind though when I ran into the Grappas and their coach Charlie Ramos in my sortie covering the Alaska Football Cup here at this Heaven-sent spacious venue here in Alabang. The Grappas, for the uninitiated, is Don Bosco Foundation's football team composed of eager kids from poor families. Some of them were street children given a new lease on life by these generous people from, bless their hearts, Don Bosco.

Michael himself is a story in itself.

He's 26 years old. A wandering kid from Pampanga picking up garbage for a living when he was still a child to help his family bring food to the table. Although public schools give free education to those who couldn't afford it, Michael was unable to go to school as he is forced into child labor by painful circumstances. Despite poverty, he managed to finish high school. He couldn't afford college though and went back to doing work.

And then Col. Roy Auro, Sr. found him, gave him free college education with only one thing in return: Teach unfortunate kids like him football for free as soon as he finishes college. Michael agreed.

"Col. Auro, Sr. is my head coach since I was young. Ang dream nya magturo kami ng football for free sa public na walang pambayad. Nakapag-college ako because of Col. Auro," says Michael.

Today, Michael is living a dream. He is doing what he loves most--teaching. He is teaching not just children of football, but also more blessed people like us to give back the blessings we're receiving.

This, my friends, is the game of life.

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