Asian Rugby Junior Division 2 Championships in the Philippines!

Asian Rugby Junior Division 2 Championships next week! And Philippines is hosting the event! Be there and catch the Rugby action on Dec 14 and 17, 3pm at Rizal Memorial Stadium! ADMISSION IS FREE!

yes my friends, ITS TOTALLY, NO STRINGS ATTACHED FREE! no lines to go & beat so you can get tickets, no spending huge amount of money whatsoever. all you need to do is head down to Rizal Stadium on Dec 14 and 17 and join the fun! so go & spread the word guys! give our Junior Volcanoes love! oooohhhyeaah!

RESPECT. DISCIPLINE. PINOY PRIDE.

Una KAYA: A day with my fave UFL team, KAYA Futbol Club

UFL season is almost over but was able to squeeze in one game! hehe.. good job! =)

been a supporter of the team for quite some time now and it has been a tradition for me to get to watch and see at least one KAYA FC game every season and was so elated that I was able to clear one saturday!

November 26, 2011, another great day to play footy. Sun was up and shining the whole day and that makes you want to wear your boots and play. After the errands at home, i made it at University of Makati Football Field in time for the Kaya FC game versus Nomads Auction Manila. It was instantly obvious who’d won that day with Kaya FC dominating the whole game with 3 and nothing at all for Nomads! good job team!

Una Kaya!

Prior to the Kaya FC game was Global FC, my 3rd fave team, Kaya taking the first spot followed by PHL Air Force Phoenix, and third Global FC. The players usually hang around the place so we’re able to get some pictures with them!

my good friend & teammate Leslie with her baby Misagh Bahadoran, player for Dan Palami’s Global FC and PHL National team Azkals. Got no pictures naturally coz i’m the resident photographer (since day 1 i started watching & playing football) so there. You just got to content yourself with seeing, meeting, & talking to the players, no picture at all. i’m not complaining, elated to meet & talk to players really, makes me love football all the more! oh and after this photo opt, Leslie introduced me to Will Gueridonn, Fil-German footy player who played for Azkals before and now with Global FC, also he’s a close friend of Leslie’s. i totally forgot to have our picture taken coz the Kaya FC game was about to start and the two still ain’t stopping from their little chit-chat.. hehehe..

met some PUFC peeps in the Grandstand rooting for their teams too! =)

Ultras Kaya

meet Ultras Kaya, Kaya FC’s 12th man on the field — much like the Kaholeros for the Azkals. its actually a booster/cheering squad of Kaya FC (which i’m part of although i cheer for the team in my own special way, not the screaming type sorry). Little boy in the middle is Shane. He maybe a kid but he’s the group leader when it comes to cheering & chanting. the boy has a flair for composing songs for cheer and has a good command of the drums! so adorbs! and i later found out the reason why he cheers so loud and proud for Kaya, Nate Burkey, one of Kaya FC’s key players is Shane’s coach in football. so there! can’t blame the kid, he loves his coach so much! =)

so if Shane has his football hero, I too have a few. to name a few of my local football super heroes, I admire Manong Chieffy Caligdong and his uncle Yanti Barsales. Both pure Pinoy and both proved that Pinoys can excel in football and plays better over the Fil-foreigners. with the right mindset, proper attitude, training and support, Pinoys will fly higher than anybody else. but don’t hate me alright, i admire the Fil-foreigners too coz admittedly, they’ve been a big boost to the National squad. its a team sport after all, one can’t win alone, it has to be a collective effort of a group. one of the Fil-foreigners i really really admire the most is a Chinoy from Chinatown, New York City, Lexton Moy.

Papa Lex!

He’s fairly new to the team but has proven already that he’s an asset. He plays both for Kaya FC and the National squad. He’s proud to represent the PHL and despite his busy training schedule, he still can find time to participate and immerse himself to various football causes that aims to change lives of his Kababayans. a totally selfless way to help a country almost foreign to him since he grew up abroad but still, recognizing his heritage, he’s willing to help his Kababayans in any way he can. he’s a great blogger too! its really rare to find a guy who’s good in writing and expressing his thoughts so that is one kick-ass talent i daresay. =)

more from Lexton Moy here: http://soccerpirrs.com/charity/hammering-out-the-old-drives-new-hope-ffas-new-home/

visit his blog and you’ll be amazed by this guy! =)

pondering on, i never thought i’d live and see the day of Renaissance football here in PHL. with the success of a local football league to seeing our National team play against football legend David Beckham is a dream come true for everybody, not just the team but the fans & spectators as well. i just hope we could do the same and show the same support with other sports as well. =)

till the next football adventure folks and keep on moving your feet! =)

Where will happiness strike next? The Coca-cola OFW project

i’ve watched the video a number of times already but still crying every single time! hard to keep dry eyes…

i don’t usually fall for viral campaigns as this one from Coca-cola and I’m not a fan of softdrinks either but the Ad sure did hit a spot right there.

i wanted to share this to you guys coz i know a lot can relate, lalo na sa atin mga Pinoy where almost all households have a family member who has gone abroad to seek for better opportunities. i myself came from a household just like that…

My dad was a mechanical engineer grad and already had a good paying job here in PHL after he went out of  college. He’s the sole bread winner of his own family as he’s the only one who was able to go to college so he opted to apply for another job with a bigger pay outside the country. then he met my mom, got married and had me. that time, the only option was to keep working abroad coz now he has a kid to raise and a family of his own (aside from his parents & siblings) to support, me and my mom. despite the fact that he’ll be leaving his pregnant wife, my Dad went abroad and mom gave birth to me without my dad around for support. needless to say my dad missed all the ‘firsts’ — my first smile, my first word, the first time i learned to crawl and walk on my own, the first bath, my first solid food intake, everything, even my first days in Kindergarten. at that time i thought t’was just normal, i had no idea what a dad is but i kept seeing my classmates & friends with their dads but to me it just seem normal. i never felt unlove or anything. so when i finally realized that i should have a dad or that i have one, i was already 7 years old. it was our first meeting, in 1992. i can only imagine how my dad felt at that time. it was heart-breaking actually, imagine you seeing your child for the first time. of course you want to hug her, talk to her, play with her but you couldn’t coz she doesn’t want to go with you or to even look at you. she doesn’t know you at all..

it was hard growing up with an absentee dad. i couldn’t understand why he chose to be abroad rather than be with us. i kept grudges to be honest. but when i finally understood why, i let go of all the grudges, mend my relationship with dad and from then on, i always show him how grateful i am for everything. i think my life wouldn’t be as pampered as what it is right now if not for all the sacrifices my dad made during his stay abroad.

so tonight when i get home, gonna hug Pops tight and say “Dad, i am proud & will forever be grateful that you are my daddy. this wouldn’t be our life if you hadn’t sacrificed years in Saudi, away from us..”

to all those who have family members working abroad, remember to always be thankful to them for everything. remember their sacrifices and show ‘em some Pinoy love from PHL this Christmas! =)

have a wonderful weekend everyone! =)

please always remember that i love you guys… =)

this year has been the most surprising year of my entire existence coz for this year, i was caught up with the sport that everybody loves, the beautiful game of football.

it was a whirlwind experience for me. this month marks my 6th month playing the sport and i must say that it was fun and at the same time tough & challenging. i had to learn everything from scratch. and it wouldn’t be easy without the help of my club/team, Pasig United FC.

you can see us train during weekends at RHS Field in Pasig City. This time however, get to meet the people behind the team. these people are the closest to me & has been my inspiration to always move forward despite the hurdles we face. they are like a family to me and i’ll always be forever grateful to them for all the things they’ve taught me during those 6 months i stayed with the team.

hey there rica!

this is my good friend & PCC & FEU Batchmate, Rica. She plays forward for the PUFC Women’s team. We’ve known each other for like eons but we only bonded this year over football! she’s my role model. i look up to her and i drew motivation from her. she plays really well and always determined to win every game. i admire her passion for football and i must say that its contagious, you can’t help yourself but to train & move around when you’re with her. whenver i have doubts & second thoughts about playing, i talk to her and she can instantly take back to the right track. she always reminds me why i’m here, why i play and why i should keep on playing. i think she’ll be a great coach someday. we also shared fond moments in Rugby too! i really miss playing footy with her. =)

say hi to our midfielder Leslie!

just loving this candid shot of our midfielder Leslie Laya! looking candid while admiring a Volcanoe from afar! haha! i never thought that i’ll ever bond with this girl. she’s way too ‘kikay’ and ‘conio’ for me or so i thought.. yes she’s kikay but in a very funny way. she maybe conio but she can get along with people from all walks of life. i admire this girl. she looks like a lady but thinks like a man & commands like a boss. you can never boss her around. she’s tough, ready to go on a fist-fight when asked, even in the middle of the game. more importantly, she’s a fierce & loyal friend to everyone.

me & Capt. Lorie (in light blue shirt)!

i owe most of what i know from our Captain, Lorie de Leon. She’s one of the first people i met in the field before entering the club. with almost 12yrs (did i get it right?) of playing football under her belt, she’s the most experienced in the team. Same with Rica, I look up to her as inspiration and motivation to constantly push myself beyond limits and excel. Very supportive and fiercely protective of her team, i couldn’t ask for any better captain than her! =)

and this is Rica’s sister, Loreta. She’s the clown & resident parrot of the group. full of stories & jokes, full of life. there’s no dull moment when you’re with her. she’s way too energetic when playing and she’s the fave of our coach! haha! And much like her sister, she’s a fierce and loyal friend too! i love her enthusiasm in life, her positivity. the outlook she has on things. its always refreshing how she view things no matter how difficult the situation maybe.

ahahahaha! can’t stop laughing with this pic! this is LA but we love calling him “Batang Moo” for being over protective with his ‘moo’ drink during PHL Azkals World Cup qualifier game in Rizal a few months back. he’s one of the few players i’m close with, in men’s team. he’s easy to get along with and ‘kaladkarin’ din! you can just take him anywhere. he’s also one of the seasoned players in the team, plays well athough i have to say he’s a little lazy. he’s used to playing 11-a-side games that’s why you really can’t count on him to run as much as he can when playing but the guy is good. just needs a little push i guess. lately, he’s been missing a lot of trainings & tourneys so i hadn’t had the chance to talk to him again. maybe one of these days we get to talk again.

haha! i’m so fond of these boys that’s why i wanted pictures as big as this! hahaha! this is Joel ‘The Ditcher’ Simplina! he earned the monicker ‘ditcher’ coz there was one time when we got invited by Sky Cable in a viewing party in Dillinger’s, Greenbelt. To make the story short, he ditched us, nada, a no-show! haha! but he was able to redeem himself when he started to show up regularly on trainings & tourneys acting as one of our official photographers. it was just recently when i get to talk & bond with Joel. it all started before our IUFC tourney. we asked him to coach our new keep in time for the IUFC Cup and he never thought twice and said yes in heart beat. Being a keeper & a fielder himself, he was able to train our keeper & shared everything he knows. and it turned out great for the Women’s team as we were able to hold goals out during the games. And that really earned my respect for this guy. you really can count on him in times when help seems to be out of reach. and more recently we discovered that he can actually sing! good job! )))))) but seriously, he’s a friend you really can count on during tough times.

our Coach Jong

Our Coach Mike

lastly, our Coaches, who loves to scold us at every given opportunity! joke! )))))) the man behind the team. the go-to-guy. brother to most of us & father to our baby booters. the force. putting it simply, it really means a lot when somebody believes in you in times when you don’t even believe in yourself. that is why the coaches are around. they give you a boost & much needed confidence. they’re there to help you out in every way they can. =)

given the situation we are in, i wanted you guys to know that i owe everything i know in football from the club, from the team and i’ll always be grateful for that, for building me from scratch. its a true honor playing and representing for you guys and i’ll never regret the day i stepped in to RHS Field and into the club for there i met the most wonderful bunch of people there is.

Sipa, sige! =)

VOLUNTEER not to build your resume, but so you can build yourself…

ok, admittedly, i’ve been neglecting this blogging site these past months. apologies. caught up with everything happening in my life all at once. i’m not complaining though. its just that i’ve got less time to sit down, contemplate and write. so while i’m still chill at work, i might as well write a few words and update you guys with what’s happening in my “too boring” life.. =)

this month has been the toughest especially for our kababayans in Northern Luzon. The areas Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan & most provinces in the North like Aurora was widely devastated by Typhoons Pedring & Quiel. Being a tropical country, typhoons & cyclones are not foreign to the islands of the Philippines and an average of 3 to 5 typhoons hit the country every month. However, like what most of you know, no matter how you prepare yourself to the onslaught, nature is well just too unpredictable and unstoppable.

When something like this happens, it triggers emotions and brings back so many memories…

been there done that. that’s all i can say & more than anyone, i can totally relate to our kababayans from the north. I was a victim too. Last 2009, Typhoon Ondoy came to the Philippines and Metro Manila was one of the hardest hit areas in the country. more than 300 people died. Me & my family was fortunate enough to survive.

we tagged Pasig as “the Venice of Asia” and you can see in the picture why. The water was more than waist deep at the time i took the picture.

so instead of cars, jeepneys, & tricycle,  we have boats moving people & stuff around.

this is my barrio, Pinagbuhatan where water in some areas were as high as 10 feet tall. i was waiting for my ride home. since i’m working, i had to evacuate and temporarily live with relatives in Sumilang, Pasig. This photo was taken at the time that i was about to go home & visit my family. My mom & my dog decided to stay in our neighbor’s house so they could keep watch of our house. while my dad, old & ailing has to evacuate to my grandmother’s house in Ugong. My cousin (dad’s side) who doesn’t have work at that time, accompanied mom at home. i had to go home every week to check on mom and my dog’s condition and of course, flooded as it may be, i miss home.  =)

viola! my ride home! see, i have to save money for the family and i just couldn’t afford to get a boat ride home which costs around Php120 to Php150, one way. so i have to be creative & resourceful, asking for a free ride on a 6-wheeler truck was I think the most awesome thing i did back those days. =) walking is an option too but it’ll take me 2 hours to get home by walking (a total of 2.7km from Pasig Market to our Village) so i favored free rides instead.

on the way home, i saw these guys, hanging out on the bridge. they actually asked for a photo opt so i gladly obliged. i was just in awe. despite the conditions we were in, people from Pinagbuhatan managed to smile. hopeful for a brighter day next.

home sweet home! haha! its waist deep water outside our house. that’s my pinsan there, trying to figure out how to move around the water. that little house is our tindahan.

that’s my dog bodie who reluctantly learned how to swim when the house was still flooded. bodie also learned to make use of the make-shift bridges i built so we can walk above the water. =)

experience thought me to be strong amidst struggles and showed me how to be compassionate to others. it always feels good to give back especially when you know what it feels like to be in the same situation as them. so when our HR called for volunteers who wanted to help ABS-CBN’s Sagip Kapamilya Relief & Rescue operations, i didn’t think twice. i immediately enlisted myself to help & serve my kababayans in need. Right after work at 6pm, me & a couple of friends from the office, went straight to Sagip Kapamilya Headquarters in PBB Concert Hall, ELJ Drive. We repacked relief goods non-stop till wee hours of the night. it was such a liberating and fulfilling experience. and i met the most interesting group of youth who also enlisted themselves to help.

these are the students i was with during my sagip kapamilya duty. From Philippine Ling Nam Athletic School, these kids are proud martial artists (Wushu) and fire volunteers too! no wonder, when they were able to get their hands on the goods, they never let go. just went on packing mode with no plans of stopping even for just a drink. energetic kids with big hearts. i was in awe to see the spirit of volunteerism alive and in action with these kids. i used to think that our youth, especially the generation after mine are just plain hopeless, with lives going out of control and wasted. but look at them, doing something worthwhile and important on their free time. real role models of the youth today.

tired but still up to the task at hand! we were able to finish 400 sacks of relief goods that day which was distributed to 4,000 families in Tarlac, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, and Bulacan. good job to the kids, they were as fast as lightning in repacking goods!

we were about to go live on TV Patrol here.

like what i said, its always nice to give back. i know how it feels to be in that situation and during those times, people lent me a hand too so i’m doing the same and giving back the favor. tired as i may have been, I packed those relief goods with a smile knowing that i’d be able to help a family start rebuilding their lives.

VOLUNTEER not to build your resume, but so you can build yourself. =)

Modern day heroes with BIG HEART & GOOD CHARACTER — Philippine Rugby Team Volcanoes

i always thought that the “heart” makes an athlete great but i was wrong.. it takes the combination of good character & heart that make great athletes. you may have the heart to train hard, compete and build an iron-strong will to win but without a good character to go with that heart of yours, it’ll be nothing. a good character that makes you want to go out there, share what you know about your sports, and give back to the community — you’re doin’ it free of charge and all because you want to do it & you care. not because you can earn money from it.

for a sports junkie & fan like me, the quest to find the true & certified sports heroes is a never-ending journey. in the advent of sports here in the Philippines, a lot of teams, clubs, groups are sprouting out like wild shrubs and mushrooms. you can easily go “ga-ga” on one of them and fall trap to whatever charms they may have without even asking yourself if you should be following & supporting them or are they even worth your effort and time or are they really the heroes we can look up to as role models??? I’ve been on that loop for a long time now and for years, I’ve been looking for that true sports heroes. Admittedly, i easily get charmed by painstakingly good looks but relationship would turn sour the moment i see right through them.

so what really makes a great athlete?

a great athlete is someone with a “BIG HEART” that can form an iron will to train, play, & win. someone who believes in winning even before it happens. someone who can pull through despite the problems s/he faces. it is someone who’ll push forward to achieve his dreams & goals & will not just let go of it, never allow it to just fall apart. S/he is someone who uses all those defeats to propel him towards his goal.

a great athlete is a man of “GOOD CHARACTER.” Someone who unselfishly shares his talents & skills. You can see the willingness to teach and share what he does best without expecting anything in return and finds happiness and solace when teaching/sharing. It is someone who genuinely shows love, appreciation & care for his supporters no matter how little (in numbers) of them there is. someone who stays humble & grounded despite being in the midst of limelight & fame. most importantly, s/he is someone who doesn’t see his sport as a “million-dollar” career where he can earn a lot of money. he plays because it is what he really wants to do and that is where his mind, soul, & heart lies.

my constant quest for that great sports heroes brought me to Rugby. you wouldn’t really think that the sports rugby is crafted for us Pinoys. its a rough & very physical sport where players are mostly bulked up, brawny, & built to be crushing machines. Pinoys are average-built, most are just of average height of 5 feet, lanky and doesn’t have enough muscle mass to be a rugby player but to everyone’s surprise, Pinoys woke up one day seein’ for the first time in Guadalupe area, the official Rugby players of the country — the Philippine Volcanoes.

beyond those good looks & almost god-like bodies are men with high-caliber skills when it comes to playing Rugby. As one writer puts it, they’re the real deal athletically as they have put the map of Philippines in Asian Rugby. Just two weeks ago and before my legendary encounter with the team, they were preparing for the Shanghai 7′s. it is the preliminary for the prestigious world wide tournament, Hong Kong 7′s.  Sadly, the team didn’t make the cut. They finished in 7th place, a step behind the goal of finishing 6th to qualify for the Hong Kong 7′s. Looking beyond this big disappointment, Philippine Volcanoes have proven a lot. They defeated the reigning champions in Asia, South Korea, with a score of 19-14. Then went on demolishing Rugby teams from UAE (24-7) and Thailand (22-0). Unfortunately, they conceded to better teams Kazakhastan (12-5) and power house China (24-10) which finally earning them the 7th spot on the tournament. Having beaten South Korea & their resounding victory on their last game versus Thailand (where they didn’t even allow the team to score even just a single try), they’re sending a clear message across all continents in Asia: Philippine Rugby Team VOLCANOES means business and in full throttle to win as many games as they can and eventually, getting the chance to play in the Rugby World Cup.

its not only their superb Rugby skills  that earned my respect for this team, it is their undoubtedly humble & down-to-earth character & personality that won my heart. Turns out that these lads are far from the way they were presented in the ginormous Bench billboards across Guadalupe (which was taken down to give way to the request of the city mayors). On the billboards (if you happen to see them), they were projected as “Alpha male jocks” who seems to be full of themselves and cares nothing more than the fame and attention they get from playing the game and starring on that billboard. Hell yeah. i’m so wrong this time! i was surprised to meet the nicest, well-mannered & grounded bunch of gentlemen last August 23.

You really can’t judge a book based on its cover…  really… i was actually thinking of meeting players with “diva-like” attitude during the meet & greet but surprise! surprise! the diva wasn’t there! they came on time, joined us for merienda and immediately mingled with everyone in the room. it felt like meeting an old friend to do some catchin’ up, telling stories to each other and all. you can see that they’re genuinely interested with you as you are to them. they’re warm & very accomodating, trying to answer each and every question thrown at them even if they’ve answered it already a gazillion times. the boys are witty & full of humor as they made fun of each other & teasing their newly appointed team captain Jake Letts that instead of being big & brawny, he has small frame much like that of an average Filipina!

All of them have one pure Filipino parent making them eligible to play and represent the Philippines in the Rugby arena. And they endearingly call each other as “brothers from another mother” — a proof that their brotherhood as a team & as friends is strong as ever.

Despite looking more foreign than Pinoy, you’ll see in them the “never-say-die” attitude of Pinoys. The one that never breaks to pressure but bends & sways like a bamboo in life’s challenges. you can see a strong sense of nationalism too among them. Choosing to represent the Philippines over countries where they came from (even with the money & fame they can get from there) says a lot about them being proud to be called Filipinos. To represent a country plagued with unnerving politics (even in sports), corruption, and lack of proper government support is one daunting task. All of them have regular day jobs, even accepting extras so that they’d be able to save funds and use it to fly out here and compete under our flag.  They save up leave time from work so they’d be able to train with the team and join as many tournaments as they can.  it really takes a true Pinoy to endure sacrifices as many as that and that just makes me truly proud of them! it really doesn’t matter if you get nothing , not even a single cent from the government & even if your kababayans don’t take notice of your achievements.. the team loves the sport, takes pride of being Filipinos & representing the country, so they just brush it all off, put a brave face on and ready to take any opponents in a heart beat. =)

just when i was on the verge of giving up on finding that true sports hero, i met these lads. it’s funny how fate works that when it already seems impossible to find them, here are the Volcanoes. They proved that their sports are not just a “million-dollar” career. they proved that they are not just better athletes playing their best in every competition but they’re also better person just doing their best to share their talent & give back to a community almost alien to them since they didn’t grew up here. they are all out there doing greater things other than just moonlighting events & endorsements or aiming to get the world cup. they went an extra mile and went beyond what is expected of them. When everybody’s expecting you to be a better athlete, show them that you’re not just an athlete excelling in your chosen sport; you are a better person, able to do greater things not just for yourself or the team, most importantly for your kababayans and your country, making a difference and changing lives — and they did just that. =)

now i think that the quest is over.. i finally found the true sports heroes of my day..  and its been an honor meeting them & i’m even more proud that i’m training with them. its something i’ll bring with me, & something to talk about to my kids & grand kids.. something i’ll bring with me till the day i die.. =)

Philippine Volcanoes, proud & true Pinoys! the role models we’re all lookin’ for.. =)

Philippines finest! Meet our very own Rugby team, Philippine Volcanoes! =)

until now, I’m clueless why I’ve been so blessed this past months. I never expected that my love for football will take me to places I’ve never been to, meet people that I never imagined I’ll be able to meet or talk to even if I live for hundred plus years. And for that, I’ll always be thankful to the Man upstairs and always be in debt with the sport football.. =)

I was able to meet Team Azkals, their coaches and Sir Dan Palami of course since I started playing soccer but I was even more blessed when I started training for Rugby!

Rugby opened a lot of doors for me — met a lot of people/friends on training, trained by one of the best coaches in town (hello Coach Aloh! ), was able to trim down 20lbs with all that running in Rugby (yes, I’m 20lbs lighter because of that!).. what else? I was able to discover and let out the inner “Amazona” in me! haha! yes, definitely! I’m slow when running — like a slow poke, I tell yah and I don’t have any sense of balance but I always knew that I have this brute strength inside me.! I just lack the opportunity to show it but yeah its there! haha! And Rugby, bein’ a full contact sports, players use strength/power so I was able to utilize that brute strength and put it into good use!

AND THE BEST PART OF IT ALL — I was able to meet our very own Philippine Rugby Team Volcanoes! woot-woot! yep, along with two of my friends, met the team & their coach Matt Cullen! I didn’t get to see all, just the 12 of them but it was a blast! It’s not just a meet up, I get to dine & eat merienda with the team, I was able to chat with all 12 of them, have our picture taken and I get to take home a jersey from the team! really, really cool! :>

it all started with joining Philippine Rugby Football Union’s Rugby 101 blogging contest (now, if you guys have been following my blog, you can still see my entry). I never meant to join because the entry I passed was already made way before PRFU announced their promo/contest, though I had to edit it coz it was originally part of a very long entry.  And since it was already made, I thought, “well why not send this to PRFU. Let’s give it a shot.” But I sure am not hoping to win coz I know there are a lot of “better” bloggers over me who wanted to meet the Philippine Volcanoes and I really don’t stand a chance — my blogs are not meant for competitions/contests (still amateur, you know), it’s just an online journal containing the ramblings of the demented mind of a writer wannabe.

the next thing I knew, I found myself clicking the “send” button of my office mail! True story: I had to duck under my table and was convinced to just hide there for the rest of eternity as my email was processing the request to send the entry to PRFU. Then I later said to myself, that entry won’t make that far so why stress myself out. It may even not get the attention of PRFU and the team.

Days went by and here comes August 19, announcement day for the winners of the blogging contest. I was out of the office and don’t have any internet access until after the weekend was over. Friday, August 19, I didn’t go online to check. Saturday & Sunday, I was out in training and usually, I just sleep after a tough day at the pitch so two days went by without internet connection then come monday morning at the office, as I was browsing tons of my email about work, I stumbled with PRFU’s email informing me that I won in their contest! I think I went catatonic for a few hours then I realized I need to revert back to the email. I think I spent an hour (at least) before I was able to complete and send my reply. I was just in shock. It was surreal and the thought of meeting the team won’t just sink in! As in serious! It felt like I was dreaming! haha! But when PRFU called me, yeah that simply brought me back to earth and confirmed that I was not dreaming after all!

The meet & greet was scheduled the next day, Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at Oakwood Center, ADB Avenue, Ortigas. Yes, I have work but I wouldn’t pass up the chance to meet the team so I filed a leave of absence so I’d be able to go out and meet them. =) it’s a once in a lifetime experience so even if I’m neck-deep with work, I ditched everything and went there!

This is it! *hingang malalim* LEZ GO!!! )

I’m nervous as a rabbit about to be thrown to a pit full of lions! haha! eh sorry naman! I went into panic mode the moment I saw the team entering the dining hall! you see, I have this unexplainable condition of having the hardest time talking to the male species! serious! Growing up in a household full of women and growing up without my dad, I’m totally clueless on know how to react when I’m surrounded by guys, well in this case they’re not just guys but totally gorgeous men so the moment they said “hi” to me, I got tongue-tied! haha! I’d say that the best decision I ever made that day was to take two of my chika friends with me and let them do all the talking coz as expected, my mouth was kept tightly shut during the event! I talk to them when they ask me about something but that’s about it. I was also way too distracted by their almost god-like appearance. When I say god-like, I mean they all look like Greek gods who went down to earth from Mt. Olympus, seriously.The word beautiful was an understatement when describing how this men look like (I know right, I’m now officially the envy of all the girls in the world! haha!).

Greek gods from Mt. Olympus! ay sorry mali, my bad! haha! Meet our Philippine Rugby Team Volcanoes! =)

and because i was way too shy to talk, I just took photos that day! Volcanoes, even after training early in the morning was all smiles in front of us! they’re just adorable.. =’) *sigh*

the meet and greet was truly a treat coz we got the chance to talk to them personally. the team was divided to 6 groups with 2 players together. they went around the the tables for the 10-minute interview. I just wished my chika friends asked a little bit more personal questions other than how the game is played, the Haka, Shanghai 7′s. Sayang! We didn’t get to ask who’s taken and who’s not, what’s their fave food, color, or something, or if they’ll date a fan or someone who’s not into Rugby.. alam nyo yun, I was actually hoping that the conversation will be just chill and relaxed, laid-back but my chika friends opted for the more serious questions! haha! so there.  I’d bet all my fingers that should my friends asked those personal questions and I’ll put it in here, this blogging site will crash due to myriads of girls trying to access the blog! =P

but i have to say that the team was very accomodating. they’ve been asked same questions over and over but still they graciously answer everything. another thing that I really like about them is that they’re not a snob (even on twitter or other SNS sites where you can find them), yung bang parang feeling sikat coz they’re trying their best to talk to us, small talk for lack of better word, they’re even asking questions about us, what we do for a living, our hobbies, the sports we play, someone even asked about the food we love to eat. it’s not something you’ll expect to see or hear from people with celebrity-like statuses. People in limelight are usually snobs *cough, cough, i know some people* haha! but yeah its true. and for that I give them 200% pogi points! I really think that celebs, athletes, public figures should be gracious enough to grant a photo opt or a small chat/talk with their fans coz they owe their popularity to the people who constantly follow & support them. they’re public figures for Christ sake! yun lang.. just saying.. two of the most accommodating and gracious teams I met was the Philippine Dragon Boat Team Pinoy Dragon Warriors & our Philippine Rugby Team Volcanoes! that’s the truth! and I admire and love them for that! =)

(ok, enough with commercials, haha!) funny that the interview felt like a speed dating of sorts.. hehe..

Searchee number 1, oopppss sorry!!! haha! I mean 1st batch of the interview was with Kenneth Stern & John Odulio!

–Kenny was the “madaldal” one.. I mean he was the one doing all the talking in this interview while John was a bit quiet, just giving out some points & opinions when asked. But both are charmers! our interviewers were dazzled! even the photographer if I may add! haha! Oh and if I heard it right (and if my memory serves me right) John is a registered nurse.

and here’s more of these two;

and the interviewers were charmed! i just love the look on them! classic!

Our second batch of interview was with Andrew Wolff and Rupert Zappia! =)

True Story (I guess.. But on a second thought, coming from Andrew who loves to make fun of his teammates.. errrr.. I just don’t know what to believe!): Guess why Rupert was all red on the face that day? According to Andrew, he went out to train on a hot sunny morning in the PHL and he forgot to put on his sunblock ergo, Mr. Sun left him red-faced!

– Both Andrew and Rupert was makwento and talkative but hands down to Andrew for being so outspoken. Among the 12 of them (the team captain included), he’s the only team member who spoke of how little the government and most of their kababayans took notice of their achievements. Despite being on top of their game, beating most of the best Rugby teams here in Asia and after demolishing Malaysia (with score 86-20) last June 2011 therefore establishing themselves as serious and tough contender for Asian top 5 next year, they get no support from the government. Most of their expenses when they compete or play, they had to get it from their own pockets. This really breaks me heart and I truly admire them, they just love to play the game & they take pride of representing the Philippines in any competition that they’re so ready to make sacrifices, even if it means taking a leave from their work and funding their trips just to compete.

more of these two (apologies, picture’s too dark, don’t want to use the flash coz we’re like in a middle of a conversation);

Some of you might be familiar with Andrew Wolff. He had his share of limelight as a local artist here in the Philippines, appearing on various local TV shows & movies. =)  See, our players are not just superb Rugby players! Jack of all trades!

And for the 3rd batch of the interview, we have Oliver Saunders & Chris Hitch! (thank God I can still remember all the names! haha! sometimes i’m so bad with names, I couldn’t remember everything!)

– What else can I say, both are talkative. I think Chris Hitch was the one who asked us with questions rather than us asking questions about them! :> tall, dark, and handsome types that you just love to take home to your parents and say “mom, pop, I’m marrying this guy!” yeah for real.. agree ladies? and i hear a yeah… haha!

more of these two tall, dark, and totally handsome men;

i think its all because of the sun.. blame it on the sun but I’m lovin’ the color! so Pinoy!

our fourth batch of interview was with Mark Chatting & Chris Everingham!

– Mark reminds me so much of Yannick Tuason of Team Azkals I guess because of the hair & the smile, the smile that can melt a thousand hearts! haha! and the other Chris, Chris Everingham that is, was the most charming of the bunch! he’s the guy that you can never say “no” to. You’ll probably do whatever he ask you to do.. as in serious.. maybe it has something to do with those eyes or maybe the way he talks to people — may kasamang lambing! — now if you guys can understand my tagalog! hehe.. And Chris was the one asking the three of us what we’ll do after the meet & greet but before we can even answer, the peeps from PEP.ph asked for a photo opt with him.. hay sayang! would love to join them after their game that day! =P

more of these two charming lads here;

their version of Korean pose with Leslie & Zsazsa! cute!

i’m diggin’ the hair! Mark’s “bagong gising” look! haha!

The next batch was my favorite! Here we’re with the new Team Captain Jake Letts & Jon Morales! =)

– If there’s one guy I’m allowed to take home to my parents that day, it’ll be Jake! haha! Joke! ok, ok! I’m caught red-handed! got this huge crush over him! for the record, I’m harmless. I usually admire from afar, I’m not the crazy stalker type! haha! Surprised too that his mother hails from Bicol, same with me, grand mum & mom is from Bicol too, Albay. and both of us never been to Bicol (We can tour the province, together, if you like! haha! joke!). And with Jake was Jon, that tall, dark, and handsome guy who, despite nursing a bruised lip (got it from their game versus Hong Kong University), still look gorgeous! You just got to love battle scars! And I love Jon for adding us on facebook! 100% pogi points and hugs to you Jon! =)

and last but not the least, the 6th batch of interview was with Harry Morris and Justin Coveney! =)

– This perhaps was the fave batch of my good friend Zsazsa! She’s crushing over our lawyer here (hello there Justin)! haha! If Chris Everingham was the most charming among the bunch, Justin here was the most talkative! Sobrang daldal, promise! It started during our merienda. Justin kept asking a lot of questions about us, what we do, any sports we play, our favorite stuff and the weirdest part was he’s asking about the Azkals! Nakakaloka sa dami ng tanong! And Harry was equally madaldal too! haha! He told us about his upcoming travel show which will feature various travel destinations! Best of luck to you Harry! Hope this travel show of yours will push through! =)

I enjoyed everything that day.. the food, the warm welcome, the 10-minute chit-chat with the team but this takes home the cake: I GOT ONE BIG HUG FROM THE TEAM! ALL 12 OF THEM!

And here’s the only picture of the group hug that i can never forget even if i live a hundred years.. or die then get reincarnated! )

and this officially makes me THE LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE TODAY! )

thanks guys! if i could just hug all of you back, i would although i think you guys probably won’t fit in my arms! :>

and before i wrap this blog up, let me first introduce you to… Coach Matt Cullen!

True Story: On one of the group pics of the team, Zsazsa shouted “Let’s see a wacky pose!” and all of the players said “Huh? What?” the only guy who knew what a wacky pose is was Coach Matt! He came in, joined his team and said “Ok guys let’s do wacky pose!” On field, Coach Matt was totally a different person, he’s not the cool guy, all smiles and all nice with each and everyone. He’s on his beast mode whenever there’s training, shouting at the top of his lungs and commanding the team with a voice that will scare the shit out of you! serious! On my first training day at Rugby 101, he was there. Just his mere presence it’ll scare you to death! then wait till he shouts. But hands down to him, all the success of the team says a lot about his coaching — its effective and brings success to the team. =)

Got to say a huge thanks to PRFU for making all of this possible! this is something that I’ll never forget and something to tell my grand kids that one day, I was able to meet the most amazing Rugby team of my time. And to the Philippine Volcanoes, I want to thank you guys for such a warm welcome! You’ve been so gracious and accommodating that day. I just wish we had more time talking — although I might not speak at all but I did enjoy everything. I hope to see you again one day, maybe in one of your games this December and please do remember me when I approach you guys and ask for a photo opt or an autograph. =)

oh and hands down to you guys (saludo po talaga ako sa inyo)! i admire your love and passion for the sport and for representing the Philippines. True Pinoys through & through! I always believed that you don’t have to be born & raised here in the Philippines for you to be called and considered a Filipino. Being a Filipino is not just by blood, it is but most importantly by heart… and you guys is the living proof of that! keep it up! laban lang! we’re 100% behind you guys, rallying with you in every game & supporting you all the way!

Again, from the deepest recesses of my heart, MARAMING MARAMING SALAMAT PO! Don’t be strangers alright! And I’ll see you guys in your games! you can definitely count on me, shouting at the top of my lungs & cheering for you guys to win! Go Volcanoes! =)

Let’s toughen it up for RUGBY 101! :D

If you can sum up the words FUN and TOUGH in just one, it’ll be RUGBY!!! =)

Yes my friends, you might be surprised to hear a girl trying to play the sport Rugby. I may be a girl but I’m not a softie like everyone else so when I heard that the Philippine Rugby Football Union is offering a Rugby 101 course for free, I grabbed the opportunity with no questions asked!

My mom was diagnosed with a heart problem last May 2009 and that served as a wake up call for me to start living healthy. So I ditched rice, sweets, fatty foods, & junk food and started my quest towards healthy lifestyle. I went on looking for a sport to do and decided to run. Then I decided to take it up a notch and got myself drafted to my hometown’s local football team, Pasig United F.C., been playing for them 2 months now & was lucky enough to see some footy action on a recently held Football Tournament, Laurel Cup 2011.  Trying to move around as much as I can before I turn 30, the once-a-week soccer training was not enough to quench my thirst for crunch time on the pitch. I wanted more. I want to just go out there in the field and play so I went on looking for another sport and stumbled upon Rugby.

So, together with some of my mates from Pasig United F.C. Women’s, we booked ourselves for our first training sesh last July 06, 2011. Before training, I tried to learn as much as I can about Rugby, the positions, the rules of the game, the Haka (All Blacks for the win!), and everything about it but no one prepared us for that one tough night last July 06!  Our first Rugby training sesh was facilitated by Sir Jovic & Sir Gabe. The warm up was okay but then we went into doin’ the drills and it was INTENSE! At first I thought that Rugby, bein’ classified under football too was just the same with soccer only this time you’re playing with your hands. But I had it all wrong, man, all wrong! Rugby is the exact opposite of soccer! You have everything backwards. And doin’ all the foot drills, I was running around the pitch like a headless chicken, trying to concentrate not to hit the other players and at the same time do what the coaches was tellin’ me to do. Like in Soccer, running is essential so running and foot drills tops the list when training for Rugby. I enjoyed all the foot drills but it was tough. I was forced to run 200% more than my usual run in soccer. I play defense full back for soccer so most of the time I’m just hovering around near the goal post covering the goalie, not running much on the field. I could just wait for the forwards to come to me with the ball on their feet & will just have to clear the ball given the opportunity. But in Rugby, you’re always on your toes as all of the players in the team gets to have a chance to score — oh and if Soccer calls the points as goals, in Rugby, they call it a “try,” just want to share that little info with you guys. After the foot & running drills, we went to passing. Its tough too but I’d say its a great core & upper body work out coz I had to use all my core & arm muscles to catch & throw the ball properly. The biggest difference perhaps with soccer and Rugby is that the latter is a full contact sport, expect to get bumped or bruised when playing Rugby. You have to go touch opponents and try to stop them from scoring a try.

You can tell that the coaches were dead serious with the training, even with newbies and that was something I really admire (thumbs up to that!). For every bad call that we make because we didn’t pay attention or listened to the coaches equates to 1 set of 10 man push ups! But that I think is essential so that players will have discipline and will always listen to what the coach is saying. Then everything commenced into a SCRUMMAGE! yep, you got it right! if soccer calls the matches scrimmage, for Rugby its scrummage. We’re divided into two groups composed of 15 people, after brief instruction from the coach, we do head-on collision of a Rugby game! real intense!

The second training sesh was more intense than the first one since t’was Coach Aloh Abono who facilitated the session. He’s one hell of a tough guy, I tell yah! If the first training sesh I was pushed to run more than 200% of what I was used to in Soccer, now I was forced to step it up a notch to 300% as I heard Coach Aloh talking to me & to those left out in the formation: “Ayaw nyo bilisan?! Sige dadagdagan ko pa yan!” It was crazy but a good crazy coz all that running paid off. I used to finish a 5k marathon in an hour and 15 minutes but after all those running, I can complete a 5k in 40minutes! ) and 2nd sesh turned out to be great as we learned how to do the tackle and all those tackle sessions in Rugby toughened me up as a defense for soccer! I can go head-to-head with a guy, not worrying about getting me self thrown out of the pitch. Oh and not to mention that I got my 1st 5 seconds of TV fame in Rugby as the crew of GMA 7 filmed our training for an episode of one of their sunday morning show! Really cool! =)

I’ve been to 4 sessions already and immensely proud that I was able to get out on every training sesh alive and in one piece! But seriously, I love the discipline of Rugby and I totally dig the challenges the sport has to offer. It pushes you to do good, to go out of your comfort zone, makes you constantly push yourself beyond your limits then you feel rewarded every after training, feeling proud that you did all those drills & you were able to play the rough but fun sport of Rugby! =)

oh and after a tough training sesh of Rugby, me & my mates were rewarded with.. dundundahhhh…

we get to meet & have a photo opt with one of the Philippine Volcanoes , Andrew Wolff! He’s so nice and very accomodating and so adorable too! right ladies??? great reward after a hard day’s work on the pitch!

All of us while staring at Andrew Wolff, I mean resting after the intense Rugby training at Ultra! )

goofing around after training! *on the sides: waiting for an opportunity to talk to you know who.. hehehe*

all tired but still lookin’ pretty after training! woot-woot!

me (in orange shirt & white socks) with the ladies.. i could just lounge here forever then sleep! so tired after training..

man, serious! PUFC girls are tough! to the core! as in!  We were able to finish the intense Rugby training in one piece! haha! proud of you ladies! good job!

On behalf of my team Pasig United F.C., we’d like to thank our Rugby coaches Sir Jovic, Sir Gabe, & Coach Aloh, maraming maraming salamat po for teaching us Rugby! Got to thank you guys for the patience and tons of encouragement while teaching a bunch of “super makukulit” ladies! And big thanks to PRFU for comin’ up with a great program such as this! mabuhay po kayo! =) because of you guys, we’ve got this new found respect for the sports Rugby, yes it is tough but I’d say you’ll come out every training a better person.

till the next training sesh guys! =)

Training day is busy day for Pasig United F.C.

its travel downtime for me so i’m sharing with you guys the other love of my life, FOOTBALL!

i’ve already talked about my team Pasig United Football Club in my previous posts and i wanted to share more of PUFC here in my blog.

the club is still in its infancy and to be honest, i don’t know the story behind why they’ve set up the team. i just recently joined the club, i think about 2 months ago so i haven’t heard the whole story behind it. so, i might write another blog which will focus on the club’s story but today, i’d like you to see what we do in Pasig United F.C. – Our trainings, the games, the people involved.

last saturday training, i came in late so i decided not to join the practice and to just take pictures! so with Aly (my Nikon D5000) in tow, i snapped pictures away!

i was actually surprised last saturday when i arrived at RHS football field. Lots of people, most of them kids, showed up for practice/training! finally, more people are now interested with the beautiful game. its really heart-warming to tell you honestly coz I always believed that Pinoys are cut out to play football and not basketball (what?!? are Pinoys tall? we’re average-sized Asian people, not the built needed for basketball! c’mon!). football is the custom-fit sport for Pinoys. what’s even surprising is that Pasig United F.C seems to be getting the (much-needed) attention from Politicians, spectators, Football fans, players, & coaches coz i’ve seen several people talking to our coach, 2 politicians already  approached him (sana lang magbigay po ng suporta and not just promises or whatever), one even said that we can actually go and try our luck in WFL..

and also that day, we started the training program for young football-aspiring girls! the turn out was good with Kuya Mike handling the session together with one of our players in the women’s team, Judith. well in this case its Ate Judith! haha!

one of our resident coaches, Kuya Mike & PUFC Women's team member Judith!

Training facilitators Kuya Mike & Ate Judith! =)

Ate Judith & the kiddos!

Judith and the girls gettin’ ready to do the footy drills!

and on the other far side of the pitch, little boys are having their own training sesh too! t’was really really cool to see kids train, its like seeing the future. i feel so proud seein’ the kiddos play the beautiful game! i’m sure they’re gonna go a long way from here! =’)

our little boys!

they’re adorbs!!! aren’t they cute!?

our little boys in action!

our little boys playing some footy!

what can i say, our little boys are bit advance over the girls. they’re playing scrimmages na while our girls has just started out so all drills for them. actually, if you really want to learn, its much better if you participate in scrimmages to get the feel of the game. tacticals will just follow given that you train regularly.

now movin’ on, its time for the Ates & Kuyas to play! we’ve got to train too you know to keep our skills sharp and fine-tuned!

meet the PUFC Women’s Team. Yeah I know, I know we all look nice but beware, these girls can bite! and when they do, they bite hard! haha! But on this picture, we’re not complete. We missed our Midfielder Leslie Laya and me of course, coz I’m the one taking the picture! this makes me hate i’m the resident photographer! oh well..

the lady in blue shirt & white shorts is our team Capt. Lorie de Leon! fierce isn’t she? Game face on while tryin’ to get the ball!

its women’s team versus men’s team! intense coz no one wanted to bow down to the other. papatalo ba naman kaming mga girls? of course not!

meet some of the members of PUFC Men’s team. Couldn’t get proper pictures of the boys coz they’re just all over the place! Promise next photo session I’m gonna go get some nice pictures of the men’s team so that you’ll see how good-looking they all are! =P

so here they are, PUFC boys & girls. 1st half of the scrimmage is done, so while waiting for the second half, players talk about the game. that’s Lhyle there, grinning at the camera.

and yep, that’s our Coach Jong! Watching the game and trying to gauge the team’s performance. this guy is determined to take the whole team up to that competitive level and got a lot of plans for the club. more than being our coach, he plays the role of a big brother to most of us and a father to the little ones. busy as he may be with work and other personal stuff, he makes sure that he’s looking after the welfare of the team. its just amazing how we find confidence on ourselves by just knowing that someone believes on us, on the things that we can do.. so really, thanks to the coaches for putting their faith on the team! =) so if you guys are interested to join the club/team, look for this guy. most of the time, you can find him standing in the middle of the field!

i have to say that we’re still a work in progress. still got a long way to go before we can even compete professionally in football leagues but i have my faith in my team. i can see we’ll go a long way. we may still lack superb footy skills but everybody plays with heart. everybody works hard and train hard for the team and everyone is dreaming big for the team. and i go with the words of Hope Solo, goal keeper, USA Women’s National Team: ‎”When you are playing with so much heart, that’s hard to play against.” so i really am confident the team can win through anything.

let’s all dream big and keep on lovin’ the beautiful game! sipa pa, Pasig! =)

like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pasigunitedfc

 

Tough world out there…

it’s been a month or so since i started playing football. i was lucky enough to get drafted in my local town’s football team, Pasig United F.C. Trainings were great coz in a span of a month, i’ve learned a lot about football, strategies, and game play but more than that, the sport teaches you discipline and how to be a team player. And part of bonus i got from playing is that football helps me to keep my weight down. its really a good work out coz almost all of your major muscle groups are working and at the same time, your mind also functions in synch with your body since you have to think of game strategy. In fact, in Germany, the mind is said to be the “third leg” – meaning you’re not just out there to kick the ball, you kick with purpose and it should contribute to your team’s game play.

I am enjoying every bit of my life as a football player and i’m thanking God for it… But i’d say FOOTBALL is a tough world for a girl like me.

first month i was plagued with injuries. first injury sustained was due to a kick in the muscle at the back of my leg on my first scrimmage. i play defense-full back so while trying to protect the goal & carrying the ball, i was looking for a teammate whom i can pass it and the striker of the opposing team just showed up and tried kicking the ball out of my foot ending up kicking my leg muscle instead. the next day after training, my leg was all beaten up and it felt like it’ll fall off any minute. glad that after two weeks, i recovered.

every after training, usually 2 days after the training, my whole body is literally in pain. after the adrenaline & endorphine have died out, i’ll feel every hinge, bone, and muscle in my body in a massive pain. i guess my body is trying to adjust to this new lifestyle. coming in from my bumming days, all this exercises, running, drills will surely take toll on my body. its also a fact that i’m still 200lbs heavy hence i’m having the hardest time running and keeping up with my mates in the team. but i’m working on it and constantly in search of ways to get myself into top form. i plan to learn swimming as it’ll be good cross training sport for me and do core exercises too. tough cores can increase your endurance and stamina in running.

let’s face it: FOOTBALL is men’s world. the sport was first played by farmers whom all were men in Europe and that’s it. women dabbling in the sport had to give their 200% just to get men’s respect and appreciation. really it was just plain tough! women have to bleed to death just to get support, attention, & respect and i’d daresay that its plain and simple discrimination. just because we are girls doesn’t mean we can’t do the things guys do inside the pitch. and just because we are girls and usually emotionally-driven doesn’t mean we can’t be tough inside the pitch. i’d say that women in my team are the toughest. guys may not want to play footy with us and may not want to share the field but we find ways to practice and play, even if there’s just 6 or 8 of us, it doesn’t matter. a ball and a space to play is all we need. i’d say that women in my team have the true heart for the game. we cannot boast a game play same with the guys as they can do all the header, juggling, hat tricks, whatever in the pitch but nothing beats the heart that truly loves the game. the heart that makes us want to play despite the challenges and hurdles game poses. the heart that is wide open and eager to learn which helps us improve. and the most important is that we have the heart that just bonded the women’s team together. i’d say that women in my team have the toughest fighting spirit there is. trainings are important to us much like the air that we breathe hence even the floods & tons of  rain water brought by typhoon Falcon was not enough to stop us training in the field last saturday. we’re even ready to be in our rashguards and board shorts just to train under the rain. we’re giving our 200% and more on every training and game that we have coz like you guys, we’re hungry for a win as well. all these snob acts, showing off, and bravado in the field just fuel our determination to win…  =)

in that short span of time i’m with my team, i can say that everything i mentioned above just makes me proud that i’m representing my hometown with them. girls, we may not be as good as other teams or even our own men’s team, just keep the fire burning. have the passion to learn everything, be determined and don’t listen to people who say we’re not good enough. never let anyone put you down, fight back and show them your true worth. and most importantly keep the love for football! i believe in you guys! we can win this! =)

keep the love for the sport burnin’! =)

oh and just because we all look nice and dandy doesn’t mean we don’t bite, so beware! hehe.. =P