Tale of two young football champs

MANILA, Philippines – Guthrie Doig Henderson and Lanie Ortillo came from two different worlds.

They showed up and provided great inspiration to other young players in the recent Alaska Football Cup at Ayala Alabang Country Club in Muntinlupa City.

Henderson, the youngest among three children of British couple Mike and Alison, is physically challenged with just one healthy right arm.

Despite this, it didn’t prevent him to excel in his The British Manila School football squad during the biggest grassroots football tournament organized by the Makati Football Club.

The 12-year-old, who was a mainstay of the Manila Soccer Academy Aguilas until last year, is one of the reliable scorers in his team.

Alison said, despite the challenges, his son wants to accomplish more things.

“He’s doing a lot,” reveals her mother. “He also does swimming, rugby and golf.”

Meanwhile, from the other side of the metropolis in the busy streets of Tondo, came this spritely young girl, Ortillo, who sees herself playing for the national team someday.

Ortillo began moving toward that direction after she emerged Most Valuable Player in the girls’ 14 years old division of the same football tournament at the Ayala Alabang Country Club.

She towed the Don Bosco Tuloy Foundation-Alabang against Makati Football Club in the final match with her lone goal.

“’Yung pong teamwork ang talagang nagpanalo sa amin,’’ Ortillo said who decided to stay with the team.

The Tuloy Foundation provides everything for its students, including quality education, where she is now at level 2, the equivalent of Grade 4 in traditional education.

“Alaska is doing its part in nation-building. Through youth sports development programs and we’re able to help nourish children for them to develop into champions in the field of interest and, in general, in life,” said Blen Fernando Vice President for Marketing of Alaska.

Ortillo is a strong candidate to play in the Gothia Cup, the world’s most popular youth football tournament.

The Asian Football Confederation regularly sends players to the Gothia Cup in Sweden.