Sure way to get into sports

MEETING REMINDER: I would like to remind my classmates from USC-GHS (South) Elementary class of 1981 to attend our meeting this 6:30 pm at East-West Café along Juana Osmeña St.

Please come on time and don't forget to bring your payments for the silver jubilee reunion of our class set this July 15.

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A friend asked me this question: "How do you get people like us to spend time for sports?" By us, he meant people who are thirty something with kids and are busy with their work.

I did not bat an eyelash when I answered him. "Get your kids into sports."

When your children take part in a sporting activity, you often find yourself in the sporting arena with them and since you are there, often you meet other parents who are like you, also wanting to get into sports.

I told my friend about the story of the Dads United Football Club. The name actually sounds so formal, but it is not exactly what it sounds to be. The group started out as a bunch of dads, who were always out with their kids, who played football.

Since these dads spend about two hours also on the field each time the kids are playing, some decided to start bringing their own equipment and play some football while waiting for the kids.

The number slowly grew and soon, even those who never thought of taking up the sport were also playing and then some games were organized.

The team is not exactly one that can be pitted against the other squads in the 35 years old and above division, but it serves the purpose of getting people like us into sports once again for fitness and for fun.

When I was a lot younger, I remember that kids would often take up a sport that their dads played.

Although my father did not live very long, I can still vividly remember tagging along when he would head to the tennis courts inside the Atlas compound in Sangi, Toledo City and meet up with other boys my age, who were also with their fathers.

Times have really changed, because now, the dads are the ones who are taking up the sport of their children.

This is not only happening here in the Philippines, because I have a friend in Texas, USA, who took up taekwondo because of his son.

Nick Torrefranca used to just drive his son Vince to practice, but eventually also decided to take up taekwondo and follow his son's footsteps. I exchange e-mails with their family, who I met in Cebu last year. Nick's wife, Odette, happens to be the sister of Tony del Prado, the taekwondo sports director of the Cebu City Sports Commission.

I'm sure, many other fathers have found themselves in a similar situation and now feel a lot healthier since they also get to sweat out and not just sit and wait for their kids to finish their training.

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Michelle Fernandez, younger sister of my mistah Domingo R. Fernandez of the Philippine Marines, told me last week about the 3rd Thirsty Badminton Cup, which will be held at the Metrosports Badminton Club on June 17 and 18.

This tournament is open to players from class B to class E and features several events.

Michelle said that the entry fee is pegged at P550 for the first event that you are joining and P300 for the succeeding event. Former and current varsity players and training pool members are disqualified for this event open exclusively to those aged 18 years old and above.

The leveling started yesterday and will continue today then next weekend from 7 to 9 pm. The out-of-town entries will have their leveling on the 16th.

For inquiries you can contact Ann at 0917-3253768 or Mitch at 0917-3264824.

Competitions will all be in doubles for men, women and mixed pairs. There will be cash and medals for the champions and medals for the runners-up.

Registration deadline has been set at June 12.