DINALUPIHAN, BATAAN — The Futsal Association of Bataan (FAB) announces its “1st Philippine Futsal Competition Winners Cup (PFCWC) Bataan Leg 2014” to be held on February 22-23, and March 1-2, 2014 at the Dinalupihan Civic Center.
“Initially, the municipal government of Dinalupihan led by Mayor Gila Garcia, Vice Mayor Rey Matawaran and municipal council members accepted the challenge to hold the event in their town in spite of the hectic schedule of the said venue,” Michael Roque, the founder of FAB told this reporter.
Futsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name comes from the Portuguese term “futebol de salao”, which can be translated as “hall football”.
During the sport’s second world championships held in Madrid in 1985, the Spanish name “futbol sala” was used. Since then, all other names have been officially and internationally changed to futsal.
The game was developed in Uruguay and Brazil in the 1930s and 1940s . In Brazil futsal is played by more people than football but does not attract as many spectators as the outdoor sport.
Several futsal players have moved on to careers as successful professional football players.
In Bataan, Roque narrated as a backgrounder, the explosion of football in the province begun with a few groups like Orani Striker Football Club (OSFC) established in June 2009 with initially 11 members, and a year later, in 2010 another club joined OSFC- the Hermosa Little Giant Club with 50 members.
The second organization was established on June 2011 and these clubs named themselves as Football Association of Bataan and was then not affiliated to any national organization but recognized by different sub clubs in Bataan.
In the early months of 2013, few members of OSFC begun to explore futsal as a formal game by learning its rules and the skills.
In February 2013, they begun to scout players and started little sided games.
By March, they began to propagate the skills for free.
On April of the same year, massive trainings were done that led to the launching of the “1st Bataan Futsal Competition 2013” held in Orani on April 27-28 with event categories 12 under (mixed), 16 under and open (men).
The first event had invited different clubs from different provinces including Olongapo, Pampanga and Bataan sanctioned under Football Association of Bataan.
The success of the first event gave birth to the 2nd Bataan Futsal Competition that was held on October 12-13, 19-20, 2013 in Orani, Bataan.
The Futsal Association of Bataan (FAB) was born with a strong members from different clubs in Bataan, OSFC (60), Hermosa Little Giant Club (30), MAAP Club (50), Marivelian Club (60).
On the same date, the 1st Philippine Futsal Competition Winners Cup (PFCWC) 2013 was held in Olongapo City. Bataan at that period already held two cups.
Their friends from Pampanga introduce FAB to the organizer of PFCWC which eventually motivates the officers of Futsal Association of Bataan to held a qualifying competition so that winners from Bataan can participate in the National Finals.
Roque added that after series of text and email to the Philippine Futsal Club, PFCWC Bataan Leg 2014 was granted. Even without sufficient budget, the FAB will continue the plane to host a PFCWC completion here in Bataan, he said.
In Bataan, the MAAP Gym inside the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific in Mariveles, Bataan People Center in Balanga City, Orani Multi-Purpose Gym and Dinalupihan Civic Center, are the only four venues in the province suited for the said competition.
“Binded by a common interest, strengthened by one goal, and ignited by the spirit of volunteerism, the Futsal Association of Bataan will continue its journey to the development of this sport,” Roque concluded.
