1st BRO Nat’l Football Festival set on April 20 to 22 in Mandaue

FOR the love of their sons and football, three men decided to put paid to their dreams of organizing a one-of-a-kind football tournament dubbed the 1st BRO National Football Festival from April 20 to 22 at the Aboitiz Sports Field in Subangdaku Mandaue.

BRO stands for the last names of the men behind the event —Engr. Keith Buyco, Teen Azkals head coach Glenn Ramos and Rodney Orale, the owner of ERCO-Samareno Football Club.

Aside from their love of the sport and their sons, the three are also connected through the Don Bosco Technology Center (DBTC) where their sons are studying. Ramos is also the head coach of DBTC.

Buyco said that the idea to come up with a national football festival was discussed in passing while they were gathered one afternoon. The discussion became serious and now a year later, they are about to realize it.

Orale admitted that getting to organize a football tournament has been a life-long dream and one he never thought he would be able to achieve.

As for Ramos, who is the tournament’s overall chairman, organizing this event will be another feather to his cap.

The tournament will hold categories in even ages to allow a player a chance to play in more than one category, a pattern taken from the RIFA Cup and Alaska Cup held in Manila.

Categories are boys 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18; girls 15, 16 and 19; and ladies open, men’s open, executive 35, executive 40 and inter BPO.

The coaches meeting will be on Feb. 28 at 6 p.m. with the venue still to be announced.

Deadline of team registration is on April 12, but Ramos said this could be extended for out-of-town teams.

Registration fee is P500 except for ladies open, men’s open, executive 35, executive 40 and Inter BPO wherein the fee is pegged at P1,000.

Out-of-town teams can gather additional information about the tournament as well as transportation and accommodations here in Cebu by visiting www.brofootball.org. /CORRESPONDENT MARS G. ALISON