South Korean booters to join 11th Thirsty Cup

CEBU, Philippines - In a welcome development to the Cebu football scene, a foreign team will take part for the first time in the 11-year history of the Thirsty Cup.

Neil Montesclaros, one of the founding organizers of the event, said in a press conference yesterday that a select team from South Korea playing under the banner of ERCO-BRO Koreans will spice up the annual football festival slated on February 21-23 at the Cebu City Sports Center.

The Koreans, who will compete in the men's open and boys under-20 division, are just one of the 20 teams from a dozen cities outside of Cebu that will strut their wares in the three-day joust that is now on its 11th season of molding soccer talents up to the grassroots level in this side of the country.

Also expected to see action is the Global Elite of Manila, the Philippine Youth squad that is easily the team to beat in the Under-13 age group.

The rest of the out-of-town entries include that Les Lions, San Carlos FC, and DCCCO-ARDORE FC all from San Carlos City, Blue Monkey FC, Kachella FC and Silliman FC from Dumaguete, Davao Crocodile, Ladies Knight FC, and Ateneo de Davao of Davao City, Tubigon FC of Bohol, Andres Bonifacio FC of Dipolog, Xavier Crusaders FC of Cagayan de Oro, PFC, Baybay FC and Visayas State University (VSU) Varsity of Leyte, Talisay Minulu-uan FC of Negros Occidental, and go! Hermie FC of Oroqueita City.

What is admirable though is that the Yolanda-ravaged Tacloban still managed to field in a team through STEFTI FC, spotlighting once again the Filipinos' resiliency in the face of adversity.

Last year, the Thirsty Cup drew a total of 340 entries spread in three different venues, thereby becoming the country's biggest football festival.

This time, however, the organizers have made some minor changes to ensure the smooth flow of the competition, making it more bigger, better and more exciting as it has always been in its past stagings.

"We've really come a long way since we started this event 11 years ago," said Thirsty Chairman and CEO Bunny Pages. "It is really our commitment that we strongly continue to support sports especially football."

"This year we have made some innovations to make the Thirsty Cup more focused and better managed," he added.

For one, the tournament will be staged in only one venue, while the number of participants are now limited in each category on a first come, first-served basis.

The categories to be contested are the mixed U7, U9, U11, boys U13, boys and girls U15, U18, and U20, 35-above, and the premiere men's and women's open.

Meanwhile, a photo contest will again serve as among the sidelights of the yearly tilt. Entry forms are available starting today at Mooon Cafe (Ayala, IT Park and Parkmall branches). (FREEMAN)