The Philippines Star, May 26
South Africa keeps U-11 title in Ambassadors Cup
(The Philippine Star) | Updated May 26, 2015 - 12:00am
Members and officials of two-time U-11 champion San Ildefonso Parish pose with Ambassadors Cup Task Force head Rene Ledesma, Gawad Kalinga Sipag Program Volunteer director Kevin Goco, Team Socceroo Football Club manager Nicholas Reyes, UA&P president Dr. Jose Maria Mariano, Ambassador of South Africa to the Philippines Martin Slabber, and Southern Africa Embassy’s political counsellor Tshire Kau during awards rites.
MANILA, Philippines - Team South Africa, represented by San Ildefonso Parish, dominated Mexico’s Immaculate Conception Cathedral Soup Kitchen, 3-0, to retain the Under-11 crown while Timor Leste’s Dream Big Pilipinas topped the U-13 section in Season 2 of the Ambassadors Cup Futsal tournament at the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) grounds recently.
San Ildefonso Parish flashed top form to dominate the field for the second straight year in the grassroots indoor football tournament put up by UA&P to instill virtues and values among children from underprivileged communities through futsal training and competition.
Canada (GK Sampaloc II) finished third in U-11 while Timor Leste overpowered former champion GK Tatalon (under new entrant Germany), to rule the U-13 category with Mexico (ICC Soup Kitchen) finishing third.
“Our interest in football goes beyond physical fitness, sport and entertainment. UA&P has a magnificent obsession with the sport because it (football) nurtures character, virtues and values,” said UA&P co-founder and football aficionado Dr. Bernardo Villegas.
The event drew the embassies of Chile, Argentina, Timor Leste, Spain, United Kingdom, Nigeria, Germany, Canada Mexico, the United States, South Africa and guest team ANZ Pilipinas which partnered with the communities of San Ildefonso Parish, GK Tatalon, GK Pinagsama, GK Barangka, GK Sampaloc II, Western Bicutan Football Club, GK Concepcion, Immaculate Conception Cathedral Soup Kitchen, Birhen ng Lujan Parish, Fundacion Santiago and Dream Big Pilipinas.
“It is energizing to see children run, kick, tumble, work and laugh,” said UA&P president Dr. Jose Maria Mariano. “We hope we have really helped them become better persons.”
Named as the tournament’s best players were Kyle Gilan of Dream Big Pilipinas, Hanz Gabriel Alvarez of GK Tatalon, John Mark Silvosa of San Ildefonso Parish, Graham Eugenio of ICC Soup Kitchen and Justin Arenas of Fundacion Santiago in the U-13 class.The event, organized by Team Socceroo Football Club in coordination with The Henry V. Moran Foundation, also cited the best futsal players during the competition with Reymuel Capilos of ICC Soup Kitchen, Russel Agnes of GK Tatalon, Lorenz Padre of San Ildefonso Parish, Reach Nival of GK Sampaloc II and Cian Gabriel Galsim of GK Barangka making it to the mythical five.
Villegas said that they’re planning to hold the tournament outside of Metro Manila to enable other teams to participate, lauding the players from Batangas and citing the possible inclusion of Tacloban players in next year’s Cup sponsored by the ABS-CBN Sports+Action, The Philippine STAR, Manila Bulletin and Bootcamp.
