Nike Face Off features fancy moves, ball tricks

Creativity will be on display as over a hundred eager participants sign up for the Nike Freestyle Face Off to be held at the Rockwell Tent at 6 p.m. tomorrow.

Nike Freestyle Face Off is a festive and competitive gathering of basketball and football enthusiasts with the knack for stylish movements and creative tricks. Called freestylers, these dynamic individuals are athletes and performers at the same time, who fancy playing the authentic game with a show of artistry.

The freestyle frenzy has invaded schools and villages, with representatives from Don Bosco Makati, Southville International, La Salle Greenhills, University of the East, St. Paul Manila, UP Manila, Miriam College, Dasmariñas Village, First Greenmeadows, Magallanes Village and San Lorenzo Village joining the event.

"We are excited to see how our freestylers will perform. As freestyle denotes, participants have the freedom to create their own moves. So it does not matter whether you’re an expert or only a beginner, you just got to have the moves and the right attitude to show them off,"says Rely San Agustin, Nike Philippines Marketing Communications executive.

The Face Off will start with a jamming exhibition for all participants at 6 p.m. This will serve as the elimination round, with the judges selecting from among them the 40 freestylers who will advance to the semifinal phase. The semifinalists will then perform simultaneously in groups of 10 to determine the elite circle of 10 finalists.

In the finals, the contestants will perform individually and will be ranked according to a set of criteria. The top four will be declared champions each of them will receive a trophy, P30,000 worth of Nike products and an all-expense-paid trip to Singapore to compete in the Southeast Asian regional Final Face Off to be held at Youth Park in Somerset Road on November 15.

Various Nike prizes will also be at stake during the side events to be held starting at 4pm. The side events are open to the participants and the audience.

Nike athletes and celebrities will be joining in the fun and excitement throughout the event. The Nike freestylers, who have toured around malls, schools and villages the past weeks, will also have a special performance and will teach basic moves and tricks to some freestyler wannabes.