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Members of the Achievers Football Club-Spartans proudly pose with their trophy and medals after winning the boys under-16 category in Sunday’s Mosman Cup at the Nomad Sports Club in Paranaque. The AFC-Spartans beat the Nomad Junior Football Academy in a down-the-wire finish that ended in a shootout after regulation ended at 1-1. Read Full Story
What is Mosman Cup?
The Mosman Cup is a football tournament
for children aged 6-16 years which is to be held annually
every October, a time when both local and international schools
are open for classes. The match is sanctioned by the Philippine
Football Federation (PFF), and its primary sponsor will be
a publication by Mosman Communications, Growing Kids,
a parental guidebook for children in the same age bracket
as the participants of the Cup.
Two years ago, we envisioned a no-entry-fee
football tournament for children rich or poor, big and small.
A football tournament in which one’s organizational
affiliation matters not, in which the politics of the sport
bears no consequence.
A football tournament in which kids simply
play to their heart’s content, their parents and relatives
and friends cheer them on, while their other siblings just
have fun in some other activities for the day.
A football tournament that assures sponsors
of high visibility and maximum exposure to a captive audience.
We called it Mosman Cup.
The proverbial doubting Thomases said it
could not be done—the usual politics has caused divisions
in its ranks to the sport’s detriment. But they were wrong.
Mosman Cup became a rousing
success; it exceeded even our own expectations. We had 57
teams and more than 800 children playing—including a quickly
assembled team composed of children from a small school run
by the Philippine Christian Foundation (PCF) in
Smokey Mountain. Most of all, it made a lot
of children happy.
The news was good and the news was big.
Mosman Cup made it to national television
and the sports pages of the country’s leading national newspapers.
But perhaps of greater consequence is the
fact that through Mosman Cup, the PCF
was able to put forward to a lot of people a message it wants
to share—that there is something people can do to give children
living in Smoky Mountain a little sporting
chance at a future a little brighter.
There will again be no registration or entry
fees for Mosman Cup 2008.
However, we encourage members of participating
school and club teams to give something they have and may
no longer use or need, but which will be very useful to the
children of PCF. Old clothes, old school
bags, old shoes, old toys—anything that can give these less-privileged
kids from Smokey Mountain a fresh start,
a boost, and a bring a smile on their faces.
Let’s play. Let’s have some fun. And let’s
also extend a helping hand.
See you at kickoff!
JENA F. FETALINO
President
Philippine Sports Commission
Football has long established its roots
in the Philippines as one of the favorite sports for the young.
Although it is not an indigenous sport, football was actually
brought in by the Spanish conquistadors and was quickly loved
by the Filipinos who had exhibited great ability and agility
in playing the game.
Significant historical events have somewhat
delayed the progress of the sport into the countryside.
Throughout the years however, we have seen
the slow but steady stream of football enthusiasts, mostly
with our young. This gives evidence that the Filipino still
has the blood and heart of a natural football player.
Embarking on this strong desire, the Philippine
Sports Commission actively supports and encourages Football
activities that will bring the sport closer to the hearts
and passion of our citizens. This desire is part of our commitment
as embodied in our grassroots sports development programs
and an integral part of the country’s National Unified Sports
Program. Concrete evidence of this is the recent bilateral
agreement on sport, education, and cultural exchange that
the Philippines recently signed with the Kingdom of Spain.
To a large extent, the sport of football gets the most benefit
from this agreement.
The Philippine Sports Commission congratulates
the men and women behind the 2nd MOSMAN CUP and wishes all
the participants to enliven their football dreams and endeavors
that will take them up the ladder to their eventual participation
in international events as members of the national team that
will represent the country with pride, honor, and glory.
MABUHAY KAYO!
WILLIAM I. RAMIREZ
Chairman
Philippine Christian Foundation
The areas where PCF school children come
from are often flooded with dirty, stagnant water and are
covered in litter and garbage. You could describe it as a
cesspool of filth. People have been living here, in such squalid
conditions for years and years. Most of the children’s families
have lived there all their lives. Their homes are 2m by 3m,
some without electricity, no beds, no bathroom, just a room
for the whole family, sometimes in excess of 7 squeezed in.
Everyday is a struggle, but you would never guess that when
you meet our children. They are happy, eager and keen to learn
anything new and when given the opportunity to play football
for the first time in the Mosmans Cup 2007, they embraced
the idea with all of their hearts.
The PCF football team has gone to play
many games competing with Xavier, La Salle, Greenhills and
The British School to mention just a few. They even won a
cup for 4th place in the last PFF Centennial Youth Tournament,
where there were 8 competing teams. They are now looking forward
to competing in the prestigious event of The Mosman Cup Tournament
2008.
Our children learn that by competing with
both affluent schools and not so prosperous schools like ours,
gives them the opportunity to play as equals. On the playing
field it is a place where class and status knows no distinction
and enforces to our children that we are giving them a hand
up rather than a handout enabling dignity to be maintained
and giving hope for the future.
or progressing the sportive spirit in the
children, we give special thanks to the support of The Philippine
Football Federation and Mr. Ed Formoso for training our children,
the Nomads Sports club for the free use of the field and invitations
to their special events, and for Mosman Communications Inc.
for putting our charity forward again, and for the Santas
Fe, Wyeth, The Philippine Foundation for Vaccinations and
to every individual who has supported PCF and its amazing
children.
Mabuhay kayo sa pagtataguyod sa kapakanan
ng kabataang Pilipino!
Jane Walker
CEO
Philippine Football Federation
As someone who began playing football at
a very young age, it always warms our heart to see groups
and people who organize age group competitions to promote
and popularize the sport among the youth. Not only is football
an excellent means of nurturing health and physical fitness
but is also an ideal vehicle for instilling positive values.
Through football, young boys and girls can
learn the virtues of discipline, dedication, hard work and
teamwork, which will serve them well as they grow older. The
game is a good character builder that arms them with lessons
and experiences as they face life’s practical realities. As
shown universally, the game is a good way for families to
bond and share precious times together.
Thus we commend the organizers of the Second
Mosman Cup for their concerted and continuous effort to foster
a love for the game among young football players and enthusiasts.
The staging of this event is line with our
vision of a nationwide grassroots development program and
our plan to develop players at all levels, until they reach
an age where they can compete in senior tournaments. And,
who knows? Perhaps among your youngsters may rise players
who will one day play for flag and country.
On behalf of the Philippine Football Federation,
we congratulate the men and women behind the second edition
of Mosman Cup and offer our heartfelt prayers for your continued
success. Mabuhay kayong lahat!
Mr. Jose Mari C. Martinez
President
Nomads Sports Club
WHAT started as a vision to bring kids aged 6-16 for a free-for-all football tournament became a monumental success for Mosman, effectively bringing together children from various social strata for a sports event that meant much more for the kids of the Philippine Christian Foundation (PCF) in Smokey Mountain.
This year, there is no departing from the same vision, as Mosman is staging a bigger and better Mosman Cup 2008. Once again, we aim to transcend social barriers in the promotion of football in the Philippines while achieving a good cause.
Having shared our vision and success in 2007, the Nomad Sports Club, once again, is proud to be the home of the Mosman Cup 2008. The opportunity to promote the sport in the Philippines among young kids and to stage one of the biggest tournaments of the year simply can’t be resisted. Come October 25 and 26, the Club will bear witness to yet another sports event that will surely go down in history.
Mosman Cup warmly welcomes all the participants, football enthusiasts, guests, parents, and institutions that support our advocacy. To the organizers of this tournament who continuously toil and deliver, the Cup accords a well-deserved recognition. Indeed, the stage is set for riveting rounds of dribbles, goals, tackles, and—well—a lot of mud.
The countdown has begun. Time to grab some kicks and get dirty!
Tom Whitwell
Vice President
Philippines Sportswriters Association
We’re all taking small steps, baby steps aimed at bringing the Philippines to sporting glory.
But these strides, however small they are, would count with various efforts in achieving this dream.
The Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA), the country’s very first media organization founded in 1949, has been witness to the highs and lows of Philippine sports. And we count the Mosman Cup among our valuable partners in rebuilding a strong sporting country.
Together, we’ll take one sure step at a time.
Cheers to Mosman Cup! Let’s count goals!
Aldrin Cardona
President
PSA
2007
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