Allianz National Youth Futsal Invitational set for kickoff

With the Allianz National Youth Futsal Invitational (ANYFI), the road for a child to make it to Munich and train with Bavarian football powerhouse Bayern Munich is set for this year.

Staged by Allianz PNB Life Insurance, Inc., in partnership with the Henry V. Moran Founation and in coordination with the Philippine Football Federation, the ANYFI will be the venue for which young Pinoys can showcase their skills and impress their way into slots allocated for Filipinos in the Allianz Junior Football Camp (AJFC). Outstanding participants in the AJFC get the chance to train in Munich with Bayern later this year.

The ANYFI kicks off with local eliminations starting April 27 until May 13, with regional tourneys slated between May 19-27. The national finals will take place in Sta. Cruz, Laguna on June 2-3. Each tourney is broken down to Under-12, Under-14, and Under-16 division for both boys and girls.

Eight outstanding children will be picked to represent the country at the AJFC, which will take place in Thailand in July. From there, three will be chosen to go to Munich this September for the ultimate experience of training with their idols.

Allianz chief operating officer Alex Grenz shares, "We’re very pleased to be part of this worthwhile national initiative. Through the ANYFI, we’re giving kids the chance to get the best training possible with Bayern Munich and help them pursue their dreams of becoming professionals and national team mainstays someday."

This is the second edition of the ANYFI. Last year produced five standouts that joined the AJFC in Bali, Indonesia. Out of those sessions with Bayern legends Giovane Elber and Klaus Augenthaler, two (JM Mitra and Aeron Tenollar) were selected for the AJFC World Camp in Munich.

The ANYFI schedule is as follows:

Local Eliminations:

Iloilo (April 27-28)
Cebu (April 27-29)
Dipolog (April 28-29)
Baguio (April 30-May 1)
Naga (May 4-5)
Metro Manila (May 5-6)
Davao (May 5-6)
Cagayan de Oro (May 5-6 / 12-13)
Bacolod (May 16-17)

The Regional tournaments are as follows:

Luzon (May 19-20 at Sta. Cruz, Laguna)
Visayas (May 25-26 at Bacolod)
Mindanao (May 26-27 at Davao)

25 emerge from last 2018 Jr. NBA Regional Selection Camp

The 25 that made it

Don Bosco Technical Institute in Makati hosted the final Regional Selection Camp for the 2018 edition of the Jr. NBA Philippines program, with 25 making the cut out of the just over eight hundred that joined this past weekend.

After the first day of activities, the field was whittled down to fifty boys and thirty-two girls, which went through advanced drills and team scrimmages. Sixteen girls and nine boys were selected by a Jr. NBA evaluation committee led by Jr. NBA coach Carlos Barroca and Jeffrey Cariaso, due to a combination of outstanding performances while also exemplifying the core Jr. NBA values of Sportsmanship, Teamwork, a positive Attitude, and Respect.

Comprising the nine boys are Jeremy Gabriel Felix (Ateneo de Manila), Joshua Minguillo (Anorama Montessori-Binan), Lionel Matthew Rubico (La Salle-Lipa), Raphael Tolentino (International School of Better Beginnings), Kim Aaron Tamayo (Nazareth School-National University), Rhon Kaniel Telles (St. Anthony de Carmelli), Robert Janus Torres (Victorious Christian Montessori), and Draneb Aeron Singson and Rodelio Tomas (Escuela de Sophia Caloocan).

Comprising the sixteen girls are Yza Camila Shalea Alarcon (New Era High School), Franzelle Angela Chelzea Besa (Divine World College of Calapan), Franchesca Isabela Buenvenida (Mother of Divine Providence School), Merylle Angelica Cuasay (Adriatico Memorial School), Jay Anne Marie Lachica (Sta. Clara Parish School), Erika Nadine Tenorio (School of the Holy Spirit-Quezon City), Justine Valdes (Saint Pedro Poveda College), Ghemrie Hashley Garcia and Valerie Ruth Mapalad (Child Jesus of Nazareth School), Arianne Amber Esquivel and Kyla Marie Mataga (La Salle-Zobel), Juliana Yap and Marielle Vingno (Escuela de Sophia Caloocan), and Maria Juliana Abella, Isabela Louise Gonzales, and Aaliyah Mai Reyes (St. Paul College-Pasig).

These 25 will have a chance to compete at the National Training Camp this coming May 18-20, alongside with their counterparts from the Regional Selection Camps in Bacolod, Baguio, and Butuan. According to Barroca, "These kids showed true quality, intensity, and a real passion for basketball. I hope all our participants continue to show their love for the game, keep working hard and follow their dreams."

Outstanding participants from the National Training Camp will named as the Jr. NBA and the Jr. WNBA All-Stars and will be feted with an overseas NBA experience alongside their counterparts from the ASEAN region.

Updates on the Jr. NBA Philippines program presented by Alaska can be seen on www.facebook.com/jrnbaphilippines.

ONE Championship positioned to be largest stand-up fight organization with ONE Super Series

ONE Super Series

With the matchup between Giorgio Petrosyan and Jo Nattawut that took place at ONE: Heroes of Honor last week, ONE Championship is providing fans with a taste of what's to come with their all-striking league, the ONE Super Series.

In establishing the ONE Super Series, ONE Championship wanted a prestigious global platform for the world's best strikers to face other in, while at the same time being a showcase of various disciplines, whether it is Muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, taekwondo, Kung Fu, wushu, sanda, silat, lethwei, among others.

ONE: Heroes of Honor had a couple of matches under the auspices of the ONE Super Series, as the match between Nong-O Gaiyanghadao and Fabio Pinca being the other matchup aside from Petrosyan-Nattawut.

Having a couple of striking legends like Petrosyan and Gaiayanghadao do their work, combined with the reach of 1.7 billion potential viewers in over 136 countries, it looks as though ONE Championship's initial objectives have been met.

And the future looks bright for the ONE Super Series, with the likes of Lerdsila, Yodsaenklai Fairtex, Sam-A Gaiyanghadao, and Singtongnoi Por Telakun already enlisted for future fights. In fact, ONE Championship now styles itself as the largest stand-up organization in the world, with the plan of assimilating more ONE Super Series fights during their events, with the potential possibility of and all-ONE Super Series MMA event. Fighters would have the potential of picking their preferred fight rules or even the ring or cage set up.

The next scheduled ONE Super Series match will take place at the upcoming ONE: Grit and Glory event in Jakarta this coming May 12, while on May 19, the first ONE Super Series champion will be crowned, with Sam-A Gaiyanghadao faces Sergio Wielzen for Flyweight Muay Thai title during ONE: Unstoppable Dreams.

Make sure to check out www.onefc.com for the latest on ONE Championship.

SKY PPV to host Donaire-Frampton title fight

Donaire-Frampton on SKY

The Filipino Flash is set to return to action, as Nonito Donaire, Jr. seeks to become a world champion once again.

Donaire traveled to Belfast to face Carl Frampton for the right to become the interim World Boxing Organization featherweight champion. The fight will take place at the SSE Arena, with SKY Sports Pay-Per-View showing the fight LIVE at 2:30am. Same-day replays will take place at 6am, 9:30am, 4pm, and 7:30pm.

When asked about the matchup, boxing analyst Atty. Ed Tolentino sees this as a make-or-break fight for Donaire. He says, "Donaire is walking a tight rope. He is at the crossroads opposite Frampton in this fight. This could be the swan song if he loses." Tolentino adds, "Even as he gets older, Donaire is still extremely dangerous because of his one-punch power and excellent counterpunching skill."

On Frampton, Tolentino shares, "Frampton is a great athletic boxer with fast hand and packs serious power in his punches."

The Donaire-Frampton winner is expected to face current champion Oscar Valdez, who is currently sidelined due to a broken jaw.

The fight will be shown LIVE and commercial-free on SKY Sports PPV for PhP 199. It will be on Channels 159 (SD) and 259 (HD) in Mega Manila, 59 (SD) and 959 (HD) in provincial areas, 42 (HD) on SKYdirect, as well as through SKY On Demand. Subscribers will also be able to watch a couple of Donaire's previous fights: against Prado on Pinoy Pride 30 and against Bedak. They would also get to see a documentary on him entitled "Flash Forward."

Kapamilya Thank You members would be able to garner points by subscribing to this PPV offering, which they can use for bill rebates, pay for PPV offers, tickets for Kapamilya events, and others.

Non-SKY subscribers can watch it on S+A on April 22 at 630pm.

Complete details can be seen at www.mysky.com.ph, specifically at mysky.com.ph/boxingppv.

Last Jr. NBA Philippines Regional Selection Camp for 2018 set this weekend

The Final Regional Selection Camp for the 2018 edition of Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA Philippines is set to take place this weekend at the Don Bosco Technical Institute in Makati.

Tailored for children born between 2004 and 2008, the program allows participants to learn the fundamentals of the game as well as the core STAR values (Sportsmanship, Teamwork, a positive Attitude, and Respect).

Regional Selection camps have taken place in Bacolod, Butuan, and Benguet earlier this year, with the outstanding participants getting called up for the National Training Camp set to take place between May 18-20. It is out of the NTC that the 2018 edition of the Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA All-Stars will be named. These All-Stars will be have the chance to be part of an overseas NBA experience with their counterparts across Southeast Asia.

Day 1 of the RSC delves into dribbling, passing, and shooting challenges, with the outstanding campers getting a return invitation for the next day, which focuses on team drills and scrimmages. Stand out there and impress Jr. NBA head coach Carlos Barroca, as well as the likes of Jeffrey Cariaso and Tony de la Cruz as coaches, and an invite to the NTC looms.

Registration and participation in the Jr. NBA Philippines is free. For more details, one can check out www.jrnba.asia.

Milo launches Champ Camp and Barangay Liga

Milo Champ Camp and Milo Barangay Liga

On Wednesday, Milo Philippines reaffirmed its commitment to getting the Filipino child into sports, establishing a couple of programs that would achieve that objective, with the Milo Champ Camp and the Milo Barangay Liga.

According to Nestle Philippines, Inc. Vice President Willy de Ocampo, "Milo is proud to kick off these two latest additions to our growing portfolio of grassroots sports programs, which will be offered for free. It is our hope that by reaching out to different public schools and barangays around the country that more parents and kids will realize the value of sports, and ultimately, build a nation of champions."

The Milo Champ Camp will be conducted in partnership with the Department of Education, with a pop-up one-day clinic being established to teach basketball, volleyball, and football to public school elementary students. Complementing this are insightful talks that are addressed to the parents, aimed at reminding them on the value of getting their kids into sports as well as the importance in providing proper nutrition and energy to kick off a normal day. Tabled to commence starting this coming school year, with a planned rollout to three hundred public schools across the country, with an estimated reach to be around half a million students and thirty thousand parents.

Addressing the media about the Champ Camp, Milo Consumer Marketing Activations Executive Kevin Mauricio shares, "Learning continues outside the classroom, and we at MILO want to reach out to both parents and kids by providing an interactive glimpse into popular sports. We want to introduce the basics of popular ball sports by offering a hands-on experience for elementary students, and give importance to sports in the child’s overall development."

The Milo Barangay Liga, on the other hand, highlights Milo's desire to establish a safe place to play for kids at the barangay level. To do that, Milo is looking to rehabilitate basketball courts at a hundred barangays across the country, as north as Baguio to as south as General Santos City. They will also replenish the venue with sports equipment, transforming them into a Milo Court of Values.

Addressing the media about the Barangay Liga, Milo Sports Executive Lester Castillo shares, "All these efforts are being made so that the barangay’s young residents, and even children from surrounding communities and nearby schools will have access to well-conditioned sports venues and become inspired to go out and play. We want to encourage kids in the barangays to become more active through sports, and not be too consumed with their gadgets. We envision Barangay MILO Liga to be a training ground for young athletes to pick up at least one sport, develop their skills, and hone their character as future champions. We are very thankful to the barangays who have partnered with us to rally behind this advocacy."

ColorManila takes the Glitter Run to Dagupan

ColorManila will bring the CM Glitter Run experience to Dagupan City, Pangasinan, this Sunday, April 8, 2018.

In partnership with CSI Malls, ColorManila is set to have its CM Glitter Run in Dagupan this weekend.

Dagupan is considered as one of ColorManila's biggest markets, having had as much as three thousand participants with their unique events.

CSI Malls Marketing Manager Jeto Seen appreciates their partnership with ColorManila, as it has led to these kind of events taking place in their region. To that end, ColorManila VP Justine Cordero echoes that sentiment. "We are glad to be back in Dagupan City and to be working again with our partner, CSI Malls. We would like the residents of Dagupan City and the neighbouring provinces to take part and experience CM Glitter Run, which is one of our exciting franchises," she shares.

Set to take place on April 8, there are three racing distances. Runners can choose between 3K, 5K, and 10K. They can also pick their preferred kit from the Deluxe, Rockstar, and Superstar options.

The Deluxe Kit contains a dri-fit shirt, race bib, color packet, and a finisher's medal.

The Rockstar Kit is a Deluxe Kit that also has sunglasses, headwear, and a drawstring bag.

The Superstar Kit is a RockStar Kit that also has an additional drawstring bag and a foldable water bottle.

Registration is currently ongoing at ColorManila's website, www.colormanila.com.

Final 23 Filipinas for Women's Asian Cup revealed

Your Senior Women's National Team

The Asian Football Confederation on Friday formalized the announcement of the squads participating in the 2018 AFC Asian Cup for Women this coming April in Jordan.

Among those announced are the ladies representing the Philippines, which earned their way into the finals for the first time ever.

The 23 players announced are as follows:

Inna Palacios (formerly of La Salle)
Claire Lim (UC-Santa Cruz)
Alesa Dolino (OutKast FC)
Krystal De Ramos (Portland State)
Hali Long (formerly of Little Rock)
Morgan Brown (formerly Santa Clara)
Camille Rodriguez (Hiraya FC, formerly of Ateneo)
Marisa Park (formerly of Wake Forest)
Jesse Shugg (Fylkir)
Caitlyn Kreutz (UNLV)
Ryley Bugay (Marquette)
Kearra Bastes-Jones (Crescenta Valley Soccer Club / Bishop Amat HS)
Leah Larot (formerly Sacramento State)
Sara Castaneda (La Salle)
Alexa Diaz (currently an assistant at Pacific Northwest Soccer Club)
Stacey Cavill (Beckenham Angels)
Calah Simarago (formerly of UC-Santa Barbara, currently Fram Ajax Soccer Club)
Tahnai Annis (formerly Florida, currently an assistant at Averett University)
Patrice Impelido (Hiraya FC)
Quinley Quezada (UC-Riverside)
Jessica Miclat (UC-Irvine)
Chalise Baysa (Olympic Soccer Academy)
Sarina Bolden (Loyola Marymount)

This group, alongside Mea Bernal, Eva Madarang, Amy Aquino, Sofia Harrison, and Dylan Patterson, comprise the final training pool that wrapped up its preparations last week. Under the mentorship of Rabah Benlarbi, they played a couple of friendlies in Japan, then made it back in time to witness their male counterparts qualify for their version of the AFC Asian Cup at Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.

Palacios, Dolino, Long, Impelido, and Castaneda were part of the squad that both secured qualification in Tajikistan and participated in the SEA Games last year. Lim was part of the Tajikistan qualifiers, but was not on the SEA Games roster. Rodriguez was part of the SEA Games roster, but had to bow out from attempting to make the Tajikistan qualifiers roster.

The newcomers to this squad are a combination of former national team players as well as recent participants to the identification camps that took place late last year and earlier this year

Annis and Impelido serve as the team's co-captains for this tournament.

Here are some quotes from some of the overseas-based players called up for international duty:

Claire Lim: "It feels amazing and surreal to be a part of this team that is making history for Philippine football," Lim said. "I am beyond excited to play in Jordan, and I can't wait to see how far we'll go!"

Krystal de Ramos: "I'm grateful to have this opportunity again. Having the chance to represent the Philippines again, with the stakes being so high this time, is such an honor. There is no better feeling than playing for something bigger than myself." "The sacrifices I've made in this process have been completely worth it. All the women I've had the chance to play with on this journey have worked so hard and have given up so much. I feel lucky to share this experience with them and am looking forward to Jordan."

Caitlyn Kreutz: "The steps to qualify were far from easy. The trainings were physically exhausting and mentally draining. We had a new coaching staff, so previous experience didn't matter. Every training forced me to push myself to the max to ensure that I would make the team. It was well worth it and I can't wait to try and make my country proud." "It means a lot for me to play for the Philippines because my my mom was born there and her family still lives there. The Filipino culture is different because once you do something for them, everyone you meet you bond with. It's so nice to know that support from strangers is genuine. It's also important to me because the better the Philippines National Team becomes, the better women's soccer becomes at younger levels there. I'm really hoping to make a difference with this team." "I think with having a fairly young team, my experience can help us prepare mentally for what's to come during the season. All the travel and demands are not always easy, but I hope the lesson is that with a great group of girls and a team mentality we can get through anything."