FundLife brings 'Playing the Arsenal Way' to Tacloban communities

​TACLOBAN CITY – FundLife International and Arsenal in the Community to promote football and deliver an international level of coaching, hosted a football clinic that culminated last Saturday, June 13 at Brgy. 59-A Sampaguita Multipurpose Hall, Tacloban City.

​The ‘Arsenal Football Clinic’ was conducted by international coaches from Arsenal in the Community – Alangel Joseph and Oscar Wilson.  They were supported by local coaches John Rex Acuin, Daryl Villamor, Marvin Alaon, John Paul Masubay and Bernard Basas who all are part of FundLife’s Football For Life Academy Program.

Both delivered training for four Saturdays, which started last month, educating the children on the fundamentals of football and teaching them how to “Play the Arsenal way.”

The football clinic was actively-participated by twelve children between the ages of six and seventeen, four of which were girls who showcased their prowess in playing football alongside the boys. The programme was successfully concluded with the awarding of certificates of completion and prizes to the players.

Glad for her son's achievement at the football clinic, Mrs. Maniego said: “I am happy that I enrolled my son in this kind of activity. I felt very much happy seeing them involved which eventually helped them to become socially active and physically fit. I hope that FundLife will continue what they’ve started and I will not hesitate to enroll him again and I’ll also encourage my friends to let their children join also."

Fritz Pelicano, FundLife’s Stakeholder Engagement Officer added, “I’m proud to the parents who were very supportive of their children from the very first day. Sending their children to the venue despite the bad weather only showed how much they love their kids and how supportive they are of the activity. We hope that we can continue what we’ve started in delivering this kind of fun-filled activity and values formation to our young Filipino children. I hope that the parents can continue to enroll their child in a fun and active clinic while helping them develop character-forming values through Arsenal Football Clinic.”

Special awards were also given to the participants who excelled the most during the whole duration of the football clinic. They are as follows: Best Team Player Award — Zhiendel Hurley T. Bidua; Most Focused Player Award —Geamiylla Czaruz D. Verunque; Most Committed Player Award — Carl Jerwen A. Pelias and Most Improved Player Award — Reyan Francisque L. Ilag.

This was the second football clinic hosted by FundLife International and Arsenal in the Community with the first one happened at Talamban, Cebu City. FundLife is also active in delivering a ‘coach-education programme’ with the help of Arsenal coaches through FundLife Leadership Academy (FLA) which gathers local and budding football coaches from the entire region to learn on how football can be used as a tool for social development and community empowerment.
​
The Arsenal Football Clinic also aims to maximize the initial engagement of Arsenal Coaches Alangel and Oscar with FundLife International. Both are part of Arsenal Football Club’s Gap-Year scheme which saw two coaches join FundLife’s programs in the Philippines, such as the award-winning Football For Life Academy, for three months.