Young Davao football players during the TM Football Para sa Bayan
Republika ng TM recently held the 3rd leg of its national football tryouts, “Football Para sa Bayan” in Davao City last Saturday, Aug 13. There were around 300 children aged 10-12 from the city and nearby provinces who participated in this event. The chosen young players will have the chance to be in world-class football camps in Malaysia and possibly, Europe this year for free as part of the tie-up between Astro Malaysia and Globe Telecom.
The top eight players from the Davao leg will be competing against talented athletes from Iloilo, Negros Occidental, and Manila for 12 slots in the Astro Kem Bola Advanced Training Programme in Kuala Lumpur next month together with their counterparts from Singapore and Malaysia. The best players from the advanced camp will then fly to Europe for two weeks of professional football training in December 2016.
Fernando Esguerra Jr (Globe Citizenship Director) ; Hans Peter Smit (Green Archers United -GAU-Technical Director); Chieffy Caligdong (GAU Playing coach/Head Coach under 14 National Team); and Monchu Garcia (GAU Team Manager)
“We are proud that Astro has chosen TM Football Para sa Bayan as a venue to discover talented kids who would be given an opportunity to further harness their craft and bring them closer to their dreams. Through our sports advocacy, we hope to forge similar partnerships with other like-minded organizations to help uplift the lives of the youth especially those from the marginalized sector and provide them with a platform to showcase their talents,” said Fernando Esguerra, Globe Director for Citizenship.
The TM Football Para sa Bayan clinics are being handled by Green Archers United (GAU), a professional football league which has been Globe Telecom’s implementing partner in developing the football grassroots program in the last three years.
To show that Astro and Globe/TM are looking for more than just exceptional football skills, the kids will also be selected based on teamwork; discipline, behaviour and sportsmanship; communication on and off the pitch; positive attitude towards teammates, volunteers, and coaches; ability to listen to instructions; and good personality.
The football clinics are open to all street football communities, underprivileged kids, varsity players from public and private schools, and private football clubs. Interested participants may register by sending their complete name, birth date, contact number to footballparasabayan@gmail.com or calling Deeg Rodriguez at +639178843334.
