Keep the football lights on

THERE is magic in a sports arena when the lights go up.

This is the case for the United Football League matches at Rizal Memorial pitch. Outside the arena, the venue’s Third World milieu of ragged men sleeping in the doorways and vendors selling every imaginable street delicacy fail to dampen the spirit of a lively tournament.

Like many sports outside of basketball, the football matches are watched by a handful of passionate game lovers, friends, family and teams waiting for their turn on the pitch or are done with it. There’s nothing disheartening about this as many sports in the Philippines go through this phase: The now popular Shakey’s V-League, for example, and volleyball games were once watched only by friends and significant others of the players before the fans came.

I finally get to visit the UFL and arrive just as the lights were being switched on. Ceres La Salle FC was beginning the early devastation of UST by endlessly attacking and denying the attempts of the España-based side to get any offensive patterns going. The final count was 7-0 and was formally announced as a “seven-nil” triumph. The game never uses “zero” in the same vein that tennis uses “love” for no points.

Then, Loyola Meralco took to the field against the San Beda-based Mendiola FC 1991. The Sparks go on to shut out Mendiola, 5-0, in a game that features the popular Phil Younghusband as a vital cog for Loyola.

Ceres Lina is my “teacher” during this visit to the UFL. Lina is editor of Football.com.ph, a website dedicated to almost everything about the game in the country and around the world. Lina was once part of the production team that covers the games on Aksyon TV and the GMA online show FTW that had Mico Halili as host.

But football has always been her thing and she has seen the game rise to great heights when the Philippine Azkals were winning and witnessed its weekend struggles to attract a bigger audience.

Football shouldn’t worry too much though because its own time will come. Its rise will come from three areas: First, the Azkals. Lina believes that the national team plays a big role in keeping the game in the public consciousness. She looks forward to the Sept. 8 match against Uzbekistan at Philippine Arena to stir up more interest.

Then, there are the schools. Unlike in Europe or Latin America, footballs are not being kicked around in Philippine open spaces in residential areas where houses are stacked closely together. Filipino children are dribbling basketballs and can’t wait for the day when the grown-ups allow them to play on the street court.

Children usually discover football in schools when they come to terms with height realities or when parents offer the option. More get to play on each side, unlike basketball where usually only the five best players get the most playing time. Usually, when a child kicks a football for the first time, a connection is made.

Then, there are tournaments like the UFL. They should continue to play on and keep the game in the public eye. There are enough followers willing to brave traffic to get to Rizal Memorial. They should be patient as well in spreading the word about “the beautiful game” because like yours truly, it will take many more visits to the game to be able to understand its charm.

Just keep the lights on.