Football: A Passion to Remember

Welcome aboard fellas! Today is a different day and a different story of mine. Let's talk about how I knew football, how it became one of my passions, and how I live my life with it. I know most of us know what football is right? So, I will just go straight to the point.

Photos posted on my Facebook

Photos posted on my Facebook

It was in the year 2016 when a coach approached me and asked if I wanted to join football, since he saw some potential in me. At first, I didn't believe in myself. He pursued me until I said "yes". That time we started from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. I don't have the right equipment with me, but it doesn't hinder me from joining the sport. I started to love it, even though it's tiring. Yet, I stopped due to my grandmother's decision. I stopped for a year.

In the first month of the year 2018, I was approached by the coach. That time I started to make some excuses whenever I got home past 8p.m. In the first 3 months I was treated like a baby in training but it changed when there was a competition that was about to happen. I thought I made a mistake to get punished. Little did I know, it was for my best since I was selected to represent the unit meet. It is where we compete with other schools to the same unit and whoever wins, will be representing a higher level which is the district meet. I was so excited so I decided to buy a pair of futsal shoes with my "baon" (allowance) that I kept. To make it short, we won the district meet and represented the province. Sadly, we didn't make it but some of my teammates were selected to a higher level of the competition.

Photos posted on my Facebook

We started to join different leagues and compete. We won trophies and medals. For 2 years of being on the same team, I have made mistakes. I thought, I will never be forgiven by my coaches. I joined a team without telling my coaches. I thought it would be okay since we were on the same team in the past. In that competition, we won but I was suspended for a month. I was forgiven but it ruined the trust of my coach in me.
So I worked hard to gain it again. I never played with other teams. Not until I was scouted by other coaches. But this time, with my coach's permission.

Photos posted on my FacebookFacebook

I started to play as an import to other well known teams locally. It was a great opportunity since it is free. You only need your travel fair to the venue of training. Which is a bit far from our school. I already travel to the Visayas part of the Philippines. (Dumaguete, Cebu, Aklan, Leyte, all the places in Negros Occidental, and different from places in Negros Oriental). Also in Luzon such as; Taguig, Makati, and there's this one place that I forgot.

2019, I entered STI West Negros University as a student. I introduced the futsal game to my adviser and supported me to have one. That time we joined NOPSSCEA with only 2 months of training. Most of our teammates don't have that skill in playing. Yet, we won 4th place among many schools. Some opportunities opened. We are offered to join leagues without paying the registration fee. And I was offered to sign a contract with 2 clubs. I met a lot of people that are new to me.

Pandemic started, yet I am still doing training. I was offered to join a club, but I am still in contract with my previous club. It was a great opportunity that I should take but I turned it down because of my principles in life. New opportunities opened. Another club offered me to be the captain since I was one in my previous team.

Being a captain, has a great responsibility to take.
You have to balance everything. From acads to plays, training, teaching your fellow players. I play goal keeper, mid fielder, striker, and defense.

Playing football/futsal is my passion, it also became my work. I get paid when I play, train and even from meeting ups with others. But as I entered my college, It started to fade. I was too focused with my acads since we have a grade basis to pass.

Not until I stopped for some reason. My health started to bog down. Some may think that I was faking it. But it is difficult to ask for help. At first I can still handle it. As time passes by, it gets worse. It changes my mood, how I talk with someone, and my behavior. Also, it affects my mental health. Since then, I have been taking my medications.

Looking back with these memories, I was encouraged and I realized, why not go back to playing football? since it is my passion in the first place. I am confident that even though I have medication to take, I can still handle my acads with football.

Wish me luck 🤞