MLSDF launches Adopt-A-School football program

The flourishing football community in Cebu got an added boost with the formal launching of the M. Lhuillier Sports Development Foundation (MLSDF) "Adopt-A-School Program" yesterday at Baseline Restaurant.

A project of MLSDF in partnership with the Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) under the flagship of businessman-sportsman Michel Lhuillier, the grassroots development program has the full backing of the Department of Education (DepEd)-Cebu City Division.

"This Adopt-A-School program is MLSDF's way of helping our kids develop their talents in football," said MLSDF executive director Eddie Ybañez, who pledged of a long-term program in an effort to produce football stars of the country someday.

"Even if Michel Lhuillier is no longer with the city sports commission, we will continue with this project because this is for the good of our youth," added Ybañez.

Aside from Ybañez, also gracing yesterday's weekly SCOOP-Cebu forum were DepEd Cebu City schools division superintendent Dr. Leonilo B. Oliva, M. Lhuillier marketing manager Michael Roma and coach Mario Ceniza, the program's technical consultant.

"We are very happy to be part of this very good program. We can't produce good athletes overnight because we need to develop and harness their skills to the fullest," Oliva said.

"It's a good thing that MLSDF provides opportunity for our kids to be trained at a very young age. If we look at history, great athletes start their training while they we're still young," he added.

Ceniza said they have chosen Banawa Elementary School and Camp Lapu-Lapu Elementary School, composed of players as young as six years old, as their pilot schools.

Ceniza, however, made it clear they are not limiting their program to only Banawa and Camp Lapu-Lapu ES as they will definitely branch out to other public schools once their initial undertaking translates into huge success.

"We will train and teach them the fundamentals of the sport before letting them compete in a tournament. Once they already know the rules of the game, we want them to have a maximum exposure. If there is a tournament, we encourage them to join," said Ceniza.

Ceniza, who will take charge on the technical aspect of the program specifically on the training and conditioning of the players, said he is very elated that MLSDF has once again reached its helping arm to football.

Ceniza once worked with then MLSDF executive director Graeme MacKinnon in spreading the gospel of football in Cebu.

Their dedication and diligence in polishing the skills of young booters paid off as they produced seven players to the national team, including Michael Casas and Arnie Pasinabo who formed part of the RP squad that competed in the past two Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

"It is a privilege that there's another attempt of MLSDF to help develop football," Ceniza said. "Hopefully, we will be able to produce players to the national team in the future."