One event that was celebrated across continents last week was World Football Day, an occasion observed to acknowledge the global reach and influence of the sport. The event is annually marked on May 25.
The United Nations, which spearheads the observance, highlights the impact of football “in various spheres, including commerce, peace and diplomacy, and recognizing that football creates a space for cooperation.”
For many sports lovers in the region, the event has great significance as Negros Occidental and the neighboring province of Iloilo have been at the forefront of current-day football development programs in the country.
UN, which initiated the global annual observance last year, has underscored the value of football to include:
• Promotion of peace, especially to efforts toward the attainment of its Sustainable Development Goals.
• Transcendence of national, cultural, and socio-economic boundaries beyond its recreational value.
• Fostering of the sense of community and national pride.
• A potent tool for promoting health and well-being and advancing gender equality and empowering women and girls.
• Serving as a catalyst for social inclusion, fostering unity and breaking down barriers between diverse communities.
• Provision of a space where individuals from various backgrounds converge to promote mutual understanding, tolerance, respect and solidarity.
The late Pele, former world champion and a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, had this to say about the sport he loved:
“Football is the only sport where you put people together, it doesn’t matter if you are rich, or poor, or black, or white. It is one nation. This is the beauty of football.”
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In celebration of the event I asked four local football lovers to share their thoughts on the game.
Thanks to former varsity standout Arnel Sagansay, who is now an accredited officiating official, national team physical therapist Augustine Rey Rivas as well as college players Joseph Galvez, a Civil Engineering junior at UNO-R and Lasallian student leader Jahmai Mar Alarcon, a Materials Engineering sophomore.
Arnel Sagansay
I’ve been playing football since grade school days and even until now that I am nearing retirement age.
I can no longer count the number of injuries I have sustained while playing the game but one thing I am sure of is this: I still want to make more goals and continue enjoying the football, the game I love.
Augustine Rey Rivas
I love football not because it is the most wonderful sport in the world but simply because I am happy every time I play. This is where I developed my confidence and decisiveness as a young athlete which I was able to use later in the real world.
Football is where I meet and play with or play against l people from all walks of life. It has taught me how to deal with people in the real world.
Joseph Benipayo
Football may be a rigorous and physically demanding sport, but it has instilled invaluable lessons that I’ll forever cherish as I grow older.
Beyond the discipline of early morning practices, late nights, and balancing academics with exhausting training sessions, I can confidently say that football has been an exceptional mentor in my life.
Football has taught me independence, the importance of camaraderie and has given me a hobby that fosters holistic development.
After nearly nine years of enjoying the sport, I’m eternally grateful for how it has shaped me into the person I am today.
Jahmai Mar Alarcon
I started playing football back when I was in grade school. I remember being so excited whenever we had practices. Even in class, I wished that time would move faster so that I could change into my jersey and play as soon as possible.
For me, it was an escape from academic stress, an activity that I could enjoy with my friend, and something that I am really passionate about. As time passed, my love for football only grew. Joining competitions and winning trophies were definitely unforgettable experiences for me.
I practiced hard, giving my all in terms of my physical fitness and mental fortitude. I loved the feeling of constantly improving and achieving things in this sport, and it genuinely made me happy like it was my sense of purpose.
What I love most about football is because isn’t boring. It’s something that I look forward to all the time – either in practicing, improving my individual skill, and also getting along with others. It has been an environment that enabled me to continuously improve, and I always had a goal in mind.
All my experiences in representing my schools (Don Bosco Technical Institute-Victorias and USLS) pushed me to dream for greater things, and for me that goal was to represent the province. Of course, it wasn’t easy, things like injuries, physical and mental fatigue, and the fact that there was always someone better than you definitely made it challenging for me to achieve my dreams.
Despite those hurdles that I faced, I was never discouraged, and, in fact, I faced it all head-on with a smile because I was doing something that I love. That feeling for me is a representation of how you can tell if you genuinely love something or not, that although you are having a hard time, you still continue to push on and stay determined to achieve what you want.
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Anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. (2 Timothy 2:5) | NWI
