| Inter Cebu's good German |
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| Saturday, 02 February 2008 | |||||||||||
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By Jack Biantan LAPU-LAPU city in Mactan Island, Cebu is famous as the place where Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan lost his head, in March 16, 1521. The city now is a bustling industrial, tourist and business place where the Mactan Export Processing zone, the Mactan International Airport and countless of beach resorts are located. But unknown to many except for Cebu's tiny football community, the city also hosts an emerging football club, the Football Club International Cebu (FCIC).  FC INTER CEBU: Jack Biantan (3rd from left) with Football Club International Cebu officials Manfred Schuwerk (2nd from left), Dante Orejudos (right) and Anthony. German national Manfred Schuwerk is the force behind this club which officially started in 2006. In the short span of two years the tireless Schuwerk with the help of other officers and a few coaches, the club now has acquired and trained around 300 players from Lapulapu city and as far as St. Rosa and Olango islands. The players age bracket ranges from six years old to 18 years including girls. Recently the club has put up a senior team by acquiring the services of most of the players of the disbanded Hiroshi Football Club. In my recent holiday to Cebu, Manfred invited me to see their work all over Lapulapu city. I saw only three of the schools they were supporting because we could have ended up at midnight if we saw all of them. At 64, Manfred is fitter than my 40 year old obese body. He can not stop talking about their projects. He seems so obsessed of what he is doing. He is crazy about football. FOOTBALL CRAZY Anybody can be crazy about football but Manfred is something else. He also wants to help the youth of Lapulapu city. He is now a pensioner and aside from the money he gets from his sponsors in Germany, he also spends a huge amount from his pension to propagate football at the grassroots level. FCIC is providing football goals and footballs to their member schools. The club also gives shoes, socks, uniforms, food and allowances to their players during competitions. The club has also organized a six month football tournament the Denker Cup, among senior football clubs in Cebu province last year. Aside from his pensioner pocket, Manfred gets the bulk of his financial strength from his sponsor and friend Holger Retter the owner of the German based company Denker. `My dream to drive away the young people of Lapulapu city from drugs and football is my main weapon of this fight', he said. He believes that through football he could form the youth into better citizens. He still has lots of work to do make his dream a reality. However,he has started with large steps in his journey with plenty of support from the local Department of Education Culture and Sports (DECS) Lapulapu division. ASSISTANT He also has a very qualified assistant, Dante Orejudos, the former player of the legendary M. Lhuillier football squad in the 80's. Orejudos trains the young players of the club in Bancal where there is wide open space for training. Orejodus was one of the core players of coach Graeme Mackinnon at M. Lhuillier. He was considered as an all around go-to- guy who could play almost all positions on the field including the goalkeeper. He now works full time for the club and drives his motorbike from San Roque, Mandaue city to Lapulapu city to train the kids everyday.  THE FUTURE: That is the Tottenham Hotspurs fan at the middle of the Football Club International Cebu (FCIC) kids in brgy. Bankal, Lapulapu city, Cebu. Manfred still needs a lots of help. The most urgent one is a decent football field where the club can officially be based. They hold their tournaments at the Mactan Airbase football field but they are always at the mercy of the Philippine Airforce. Anytime of the day when there is red alert they could not use the field. They also use the Mactan Export Processing Zone (MEPZ) field but lots of people book the pitch for other usage. Despite of this problem Manfred is unperturbed and continues to be positive. He said that there is a barangay captain who has promised them the use of an open space in his barangay. He said that if this one materializes then that will be the beginning of the rise of the club to greater heights. Football indeed has begun to take a few strides in Lapulapu city. No Cebuano leaders have done that since time in memorial. It has taken a foreigner and a good German to start the few steps. Let's just hope Lapulapu city politicians and sports leaders give their support not sooner or later but now. GOD BLESS
footballer
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| i like what im reading....how i wish that there are people like you in this country who support and are willing to give back. we have to do our best to take back the number 1 place in the country in sport and that is football and not basketball. football is #1 all over and it'll be here to, soon. |
soccer
said:
| JOB WELL DONE AND MORE TO COME>>>> |
ino
said:
| kodus to mr. schuwerk to all his work in football. I had a short chat with this guy when they first started in 2006, just as when i came back to join actively in football. I have nothing but praises for him. I am hoping we will have officials in the PPF and CFA who have the same love and passion for football and the young like him. Keep up the good work, sir!! Thank you very much!! |
brainsalad
said:
| I actually saw this guy and played against their team. I have nothing but admiration Mr. Schuwerk. thanks for keeping "The Beautiful Game" alive here in Cebu! Ü |
