Time of their lives

The Palarong Pambansa is in full swing in Legazpi, Albay and the defending champion National Capital Region (NCR) elementary football team has its hands full fending off the challenge of the Bicol Region, Davao Region, Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos) Region and Negros Island Region at the Guinobatan Sports Complex.

The other day, five of 18 teams remained unbeaten in the four-bracket tournament. Showing the way were Region XI (Davao) in Bracket B and Region V (Bicol) in Bracket C with identical 3-0 records. Region VIII (Negros Island) in Bracket A and Region XII (Soccsksargen) in Bracket C were a win behind at 2-0 each. NCR in Bracket A had a 1-0-1 slate.

The age limit for the elementary division is 13 years old, born in 2003-04. The NCR players are all in Grade 6. Maybe, more excited than the players are their parents most of whom took the trip to Legazpi. So it’s not only the players who’re enjoying the time of their lives.

“The parents have pledged their all-out support for the boys on the team,” said defender Marco Salud’s mother Ginge. “The Manila, Makati and Marikina contingents braved the daily traffic and made the trip to Ateneo for the regular training. This, in itself, was an amazing feat. Encouragement comes in the form of physical and moral support, in the time they invest in watching the boys’ games and cheering them on.”

  Comprising the NCR team are 10 boys from Quezon City (Ateneo), two boys from Marikina (Marist), two boys from Makati (Don Bosco) and one from Manila (Aurora Quezon Elementary School). Quezon City won this year’s NCR championship, defeating cities such as defending champion Muntinlupa, San Juan, Marikina, Makati and Manila, among others. As the champion team, Quezon City was tasked with the selection of players who are the region’s best.

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At the NCR Championships, special awards went to midfielder Dov Anthony Carino as MVP, Enzo Lucindo as top scorer, Salud as best defender and Santi Pastor as best goalkeeper. The four awardees from Quezon City are the anchors of the NCR squad. Rounding up the roster are Arby Andaya, Jr., Julian del Valle, Gabe Lariosa, Luis Madrid, Gab Ramos and Alfonso Regino from Quezon City, Arstin Miguel Reano and C. J. Barbara from Makati, Wrenz Lopez and Charles Sindayen from Marikina and Lance Bencio from Manila.

Head coach is Lyndon Zamora who calls the shots for the Ateneo Quezon City team. While it’s Zamora’s debut in the Palaro, he’s been the Ateneo grade school coach for years. Zamora’s assistant in the NCR squad is Lando Cabaniero, the Don Bosco Makati coach.

“The NCR team began training together in the last week of February, three to four times a week,” said Ginge Salud whose husband Dr. Arnold is the brother of former PBA commissioner Chito and the son of the late WBC secretary-general Rudy. “They started training three hours daily in mid-March. Training is usually after school from 3 or 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Ateneo football field. These boys have been playing football since they were four to five years old and they haven’t stopped since. They intend to keep playing until high school or college and for some, even beyond that. Two of them have played abroad in the Gothia Cup – Arby and Dov.”

Ginge Salud said the Ateneo players will forego their grade school graduation on Saturday to play on the last day of the tournament.

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“For the Quezon City boys, it’s been tough juggling academic schedules that have stretched into the early weeks of summer due to the late opening of classes,” she said. “Add to the fact that their grade school graduation is set on April 16. So these boys had to make a really tough decision. To go to the Palaro or attend graduation? The answer was obvious. The Palaro is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and the boys have Ateneo’s support all the way. The school itself has not been to the nationals in eight years so representation this year both for the school and the city is quite a big deal.”

Since NCR is the defending Palaro champion, the pressure is on the boys to retain the crown. “The team has huge shoes to fill as they are determined to defend NCR’s championship,” continued Ginge Salud. “With all that is at stake, the parents are right behind them to see them through their journey, hopefully to a fitting finish. The boys are ready to push. The pressure is on. The boys are focused on the game and are pouring their hearts and minds into it. After all the hours clocked in for training and preparations, the boys vow to do their best and give it every ounce they’ve got to keep the title.”

The Department of Education NCR provided the outfitting and some gear for the boys. The training gear was subsidized by sponsors Idea1 and 2Go Travel. Other sponsors and donors, particularly Mayor Edwin Olivarez and Rep. Roilo Golez of Parañaque, contributed to the team’s war chest as a show of support for the boys.  

The boys’ campaign in the Palaro is chronicled on their Facebook page “Team NCR-Palaro 2016.” Win or lose, it’s a heckuva ride and an unforgettable experience for the NCR selection. Best of luck to the boys of all 18 teams in the elementary division. Enjoy the competition, make friends with boys from other regions, play your hearts out and respect the game.