First Love

For those who have known me for a decade, you know that basketball isn't my first sport growing up. Probably, if you're not my batchmate in high school at San Beda, you don't know that football is my sport back then.

(Emperador Stadium at McKinley Hill)

Yesterday, I found myself in the grounds of Emperador Stadium, the home of our country's first organized league at McKinley Hill in Taguig City. I was late for the game of Manila All-Japan FC and Laos FC. The next game was between Agila FC and Team Socceroo FC.  I can't help but reminisce about my high school days at our football field then. The smell of the grass (although, Emperador Stadium uses artificial turf), the goal posts, the spike shoes, the long socks, the crowd - I suddenly remembered them all. 

I joined San Beda football team not because I like the sport. No. I joined because I'm really not into CAT (Cadet Army Training) and if you're part of any varsity team, you are not required to attend CAT classes anymore. So, gladly, our coach, Jose Ariston Caslib (yes, the former National coach who brought Phil and James Younghusband in the country) easily accepted me. (Back then, football is just a ran-off sport and not that popular unlike now) 

Every after classes, I would go straight to our football field and practice. At first, I really don't have the initial skills to be a footballer. I'm not agile and fast enough to be at a phase of a football game. But I learned the crop, and with many days of practice, I began liking the sport. Especially, when we were given uniforms. We feel excited and we feel that we have a little swag in our heads. I even remembered playing against former Azkals captain Aly Borromeo when he was still with La Salle Greenhills. 

Then, I really got hooked up. I started watching football games on TV. There were no UFL yet so the European League is the only choice. I remember that first football game I watched on TV. It was a replay of Chelsea - Manchester United match. Chelsea FC won that game and Frank Lampard emerged as the man of the match. From then, I started idolizing Chelsea and Frank Lampard as my football hero.Years have passed by and I even turned into a football addict. I even collected football jerseys of different football clubs. 

During my 'field trip' at Emperador Stadium, I remember my first love. I still remember everything about it. I can still feel the romance. As many people say "there's no love like the first". JMP