Photo By Mike Meares | U.S. service members participating in Exercise Balikatan 2012 volunteered their time...... read more read more
Subscribe
CAMP AGUINALDO, Philippines - Sometimes, all it takes is a ball and an open area to play.
Members of the Philippine national futbol team, Philippine Azkals, and U.S. service members teamed up to put on a soccer clinic for 16 boys from the Manila area at Daza Park during Exercise Balikatan 2012, April 20.
“We are trying to introduce the boys to the game and teach them a little bit about soccer, hopefully get them interested, but mainly to have fun,” said U.S. Navy chaplain Cmdr. Andrew Wade, Marine Corps Forces Pacific, Hawaii. “[Balikatan] is all about developing relationships and partnerships and getting to know one another on an individual level.”
With small bright orange cones spread out across a petite grassy patch, the blue and white uniforms of the Azkals stood out among the crowd. After stretching exercises, the boys were taught basic soccer skill drills. U.S. service members and the boys picked partners then worked on some basic ball handling skills. Some of them spoke only one language, preventing them from introducing themselves by name, but they both understood what to do with the ball.
“It’s unspoken,” said U.S. Marine Gunnery Sgt. Joe Zamora, FMARFORPAC. “You see the ball, you immediately know what the kids want to do and you know what you want to teach them. You don’t even have to speak the language. You pass a ball, make a gesture with your feet or your body, and they know what’s coming.”
Drill after drill and relay after relay, the boys took the instruction from the soccer players and ran with it. Their sweat poured as they zigged and zagged around the field showcasing their soccer skills for the boys.
“There is always fun in sports, and soccer is no different than anything else,” Zamora said. “The beautiful thing about soccer is it is the most popular sport in the world. For that reason and that reason alone, it is a universal game. It’s a simple game anyone can play. You don’t need equipment, just a ball and a piece of land.”
The children were identified through Becky Majam, a missionary at a local church outreach program. Becky has been working with the church since 1993, and she sees the futbol clinic as helping to build self-esteem in the young boys, as well as being an experience they will not soon forget.
“It is good exposure for our youth,” she said. “Most of them like to play sports, futbol and basketball. It is a working relationship among the Americans and Filipinos, not only the soldiers, but of course exposure to [each others] cultures, our behaviors, our character. It helps a lot knowing each other.”
Boys, like 8-year-old Andrie Margarse, son of Philippine army Sgt. Nestor Margarse, a defender for the Azkals, said he has wanted to play futbol for as long as he can remember. According to the shy-off-the-field, aggressive-on-the grass little boy, he had a lot of fun practicing with Zamora during the futbol clinic.
“I love futbol,” Andrie said, who wants to grow up and follow in his father’s footsteps. “When I was young, my father played for the national team. So that’s the reason why I play futbol.”
The newly found partnership between the Azkals, the oldest national soccer team in Asia, and U.S. service members parallels the annual Balikatan exercise, a Filipino word meaning “shoulder-to-shoulder.”
Balikatan training activities and humanitarian assistance enable the Philippine and U.S. armed forces to get to know each other, train together and provide assistance to local communities.
“A lot of times, people see Americans show up in their country, see us in our uniforms, they read things in the newspaper and see it on television, but they never have a chance to interact with us directly,” the chaplain said.
“I think it’s important for not only our militaries to work together and experience things together, but also to let the people know we care,” said U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Josh Bare, 3rd Radio Battalion, Marine Corps Base Hawaii. “It’s not just a military exercise; we are here for the people also.”
| Date Taken: | 04.20.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 04.23.2012 04:45 |
| Story ID: | 87156 |
| Location: | CAMP AGUINALDO, PH |
| Web Views: | 141 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Filipino futbol team, US service members ‘kick it’ during youth clinic, by Mike Meares, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
