MINDANAO GETS FOOTBALL FEVER
Davao City, Aug. 27, 1998 - Twenty two football teams, led by Mindanao defending champion University of Mindanao, will compete in the Davao del Sur - Davao City eliminations of the Coke-For-Goal, now on its 15th season.
Mayor Benjamin de Guzman and Vice Mayor Luis Bonguyan head the guest list in the opening ceremony of the under-16 tourney sponsored by Coca-Cola on September 1. Adidas is the official ball. Other guests include Philippine Football Federation president Rene Z. Adad, PFF general secretary Chris Monfort, UM CEO Willie Torres and EVP Col. Saturnino Petalcorin, Davao City Councilors Pilar Braga and Tomas Monteverde III and CocaCola officials Manuel Agdon, Jr, Rey Teves and Romeo Caparas.
Barotac Nuevo's St. Paul School won the Coke-Go for Goal national title early this year, giving the Visayan region its tenth plum. Other previous winners from the Visayas were lloilo's Central Philippine University (twice), Bacolod's West Negros College, Silliman University (thrice), Barotac Nuevo Comprehensive School, Cebu's Salazar Institute of Technology and Sta. Barbara National High.
The other champions came from the National Capital Region but Mindanao has yet to produce a national winner.
The former NCR titlists were Don Bosco Tondo (first champ in 1985) and De La Salle Zobel (in 1988, 1991 and 1992).
Coca-Cola has been cited by the Philippine Sportswriters Association for organizing this youth sports program which has helped create awareness in football and identify new talents in the countryside. Last year, more than 400 schools in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao joined the program. More than half of the teams participating come from public schools which otherwise cannot afford to have their own sports development programs.
Coke-Go for Goal success is proved by the fact that majority of the current national players are products of this nationwide program.
Reported by: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 1998 by PHILIPPINE
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