By Romy Sabaldan

DAVAO CITY, Philippines - As far as football is concerned the "camp chief" is Gerry Romero-Salas.

He recently got the nod of the 12-man board of directors of the Davao Football Association (DFA) to negotiate with the new administrators for a renewal of our stay at the Tionko-owned field, which hosted for the "weekend warriors" the Ist United Colours of Football last September 8 and 9.

The quartet of Patricia Joven, Real Solido's Paul Garcia together with one donor from New Jersey Luzy Ford and DFA's Manuel Cris Arrieta organized the colorful revival from a brief slumber after the equally successful Kadayawan Football Festival.

Hopefully, this will encourage a regular conduct of the games revolving into a quarterly event with Coca-Cola Philippines and Monterrey sharing a modest sponsorship just to make the first ball rolling.

Mike Ayala made his presence felt in a special way with the Apo Natural Spring Water hugging the Vilela jersey and Ateneo’s U17. It is definitely felt thru fellow DFA member Tom Inigo.

Not everyone knows this, but Tom before making himself and son Angelo of Holy Child a model father-and-son tandem of Davao FA, our photo hobbyist was Davao City's first champion coach in tennis in the Palarong Pambansa during the 80s.

I met once again in the "camp" Boy Zamora, now Field Master of the tournament and former ASPAC's "Jackhammer Joe" turning into Bobot Pingoy's athletic Green Keeper.

In between playing the new role of defender, Javi Romero-Salas keeps his hands busy with the yoyo, unmindful of the exchange of lobbed shots in the center by the Aguinaldo-Diamante tandem.

Both U15 players figured prominently in the team Philippines wresting of the B Play championship in the Denmark Football Festival.

The new kids on the block lead by Eula Lois Baltazar made this one against the top seeded Ateneo Girls.

Under coach Melchor Anzures, himself a former Ateneo mentor, South Point pulled off a surprising 1-0 win. Football in Bro. Ernie Abella’s sports list is one of his school's new-generation training advocacies.

Ana Serrano. Oh! Ana, "My Girl" of Davao FA. Despite the gathering overcast cloudy skies, she can make Javi more melodious with Sam Milby's hit revival of "I got sunshine on a cloudy day."

Meanwhile, Scout Dan Murphy has pulled off a very important meeting for the first time with Davao City Administrator Wendel Avisado, Camp Chief of the successful Malagos Council Jamborette during Thursday's grand opening. His initial contact with the DIDP pillar has a far-reaching effect in the lives of the people of the city.

Avisado, chairman of the BSP Davao City Council exhorted all of us in a more passionate manner to show more reverence to God as embodied in the last mandate of the scout law which is to be Reverent.

Avisado made the call at the top of his voice, I thought I heard a thunder in the distance where a short mass of the darkened gray clouds have started to gather in the heat of day.

Weekend Beat: There'll be victory in the camp at the shout of El Shaddai. -- Paul Wilbur