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By Nicole Marienne S. Coromina
 The next Futkal project was a month long series of clinics in cooperation with Unang Hakbang Foundation in Pasig City.
Futkaleros got up early on Saturdays braving heat and hangovers to spend some quality Futkal fun time with the children from the Welfare & Mauway barangays. We all meet at the shell station on Edsa corner McKinley Rd. where we are introduced to one another, a motley crew of characters; different nationalities, various backgrounds, influences and ages but with one unifying factor, Futkal.
Upon closer acquaintance i realize we are brought together by a variety circumstances. Fate perhaps? Common friends, uncommon friends, distant work acquaintances, during football games, over the Internet, members of the media and on and on. We gel automatically bonded by our singular purpose.
We hop in to two ready vehicles brought by very accommodating volunteers (thank you!) on towards our first stop Highway hills school.
There we meet, yup, even more surprise volunteers and Unang Hakbang coordinator Nick Best. While there Futkal mastermind Peter Amores briefs us Futkaleros on what is to happen, how we are to conduct ourselves, and what our ultimate objectives are as Futkaleros. We absorb all this with eager anticipation. Psyched up and physically prepared we're off to the barangay sites.
First stop barangay Mauway. Its a cluster of stores, makeshift homes, & canals which suddenly clear to reveal a bright, spacious, futkal perfect basketball court in the center.
We volunteers round up all 80+ children on the bleachers were dynamic Peter Amores briefs the little budding futkaleros on the game and its objective.
Lesson 1; “Ang Futkalero ay masunirin, masiyahin, at mabait na bata.” The kids learn it effortlessly, enunciating it in unison eager to begin. “Ready, get set, break in to groups!” Each volunteer handles 4 to 6 children, teaching them basic football drills and techniques.
The kids are a mixture of endearing, exasperatingly unruly, but always wonderfully enthusiastic. Paying no attention to the blaring heat they proceed to do that thing they do best...HAVE FUN. Taking cue from our little wards, we volunteers do the same.
Next stop barangay Welfare Village. This barangay is further away yet with no luxurious, state of the art, bball court. The houses do clear however to reveal a spacious center. Hey, this is futkal, we play in any area where theres space enough to kick around and run around.
We go over the same routine, breaking in to groups. But in this site I decide to relieve my photographing duties to lead a group and impart a few (oh no!) moves of my own.
Its tiering but rewarding watching these children enjoy this spot of concrete as much as if it were the Barnabao stadium. When our time was up volunteers' kids played against each other.
Next was an exhibition game volunteers on volunteers. A few closing words and reluctant goodbyes later we're off leaving behind the promise of more clinics to follow, and even after that a game which is theirs to play and enjoy anytime, anywhere.
“Ang Futkalero ay masunurin, masiyahin, at mabait na bata”. It catches on quickly. Yup Futkal isn't just a game its a way of living. Though, if it were a game, its one not only these children but we and the world should play and be a part of.
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