CFA plots long-term goal for Cebu Elite Under-12 booters

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Elite Under-12 football squad was formed only last March but has proven this early that they're already a force to reckon with after pulling off back-to-back success in separate tournaments they joined in Visayas and Mindanao, with nine of them making it to the national training pool.

With that, the Cebu Football Association heeded to the coaches and parents' plea to keep the team for a long- term goal.

The Cebu Elite team's first test was the PFF Festival of Football in San Carlos City where they scored a clean 4-0 sweep in their age-group.

More to it, half of the team's lineup made it to the elite national training pool. They are Don Bosco Technology Center's Froi Adreon Custado, Paul Vincent Mapula, Tristan Karl Enad, Vince Kristi Ybañez, Yuan Rena, Charles Unabia, and Josh Asignar, Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu's Jacob Braun and SHS-Hijas de Jesus' Louie Arreglo II.

After their stint in San Carlos, team coordinator Tonyo Trebol told The Freeman yesterday that they continued their training under the coach Totot Colina along with Julius Tapia and Raymond Narte following the CFA nod through its team manager Raffy Musni.

The training paid-off well with the team, which also has SHS-AdC's Julian Cabatingan and Nathan Gamaliel Bajarias, Bright Academy's Keith Fernandez and Hiroshi Iwanaga, SHS-Hijas de Jesus' Gian Pastrana and Berne Justin Cimafranca, University of San Carlos' Earl John Patron, Paref-Springdale's Luis Roxas, and Talisay Elementary School's Karl Pacada, winning the 2014 Dipolog City Football Festival recently.

The young but promising Cebuano booters defeated the Spears FC, composed of national team members from the Visayas and Mindanao area, in convincing fashion, 3-0.

In the championship match, coach Colina credited all his wards for putting their best foot forward and proved that their 1-0 win against Spear FC in the elimination round was no fluke.

"All of the boys fought hard and did their best. I told them that we should not take for granted any team. The kids responded and did the best thing. We played the game we wanted to win," said Colina.

With their achievements in such a short span of time, Trebol is happy to announce that CFA has given its blessings to keep the team for a long-term goal.

"This has always been the common sentiments of the coaches that after we select players and compete in one tournament, the team will be disbanded thereafter. Sakit kaayo na para sa mga coaches na grabe imung pag-train sa mga bata unya mawa ra pud dayon," said Trebol.      

"So this Cebu Elite Under-12 team will continue to train together in their available time. We have agreed that for local tournaments, the players can join their respective schools, but in out-of-town events, we will bring the Cebu team," he added. (FREEMAN)