Odysseus Suarez (4th from left) and wife Mylene, organizers of the upcoming Gerry’s Restaurant and Bar Football, pose with tournament officials and some of the representatives of the participating teams. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
YOUNG football players will get a chance to showcase their skills when the Gerry’s Restaurant and Bar Small Sided Football fires off on March 24-26 at the Campo Giuseppe Football Field in Barangay Banilad, Cebu City.
Organized by couple Odysseus and Mylene Suarez, one of the owners of Gerry’s Restaurant and Bar, the tournament will feature seven categories with each game to be played in 15 minutes.
Sanctioned by Cebu Football Association, the tournament is the first in Cebu to have its games played in artificial turf.
“It is an opportunity for us to help the sport. We know that football is growing and is becoming more popular. We know the benefits of getting children into sports, it gives them better health and better outlook in life,” said Odysseus in a press briefing and coaches’ meeting yesterday at Gerry’s Grill in Ayala Center Cebu.
Odysseus said they are hoping to make the tournament an annual event.
“Hopefully we can have an 11 aside tournament in the future,” he said.
The tournament will have the mixed under 7, mixed under 9, mixed under 11, boys under 13, boys under 15, girls under 15, and girls under 17.
The mixed under 7, 9, 11 will be seven aside competitions, while the rest will be six aside.
Each category will have eight teams, which will be divided into two brackets. Number one and two teams after the eliminations will advance to the semifinals.
Tournament director Eleazar Toledo said they are expected to attract 56 teams.
Deadline for submission of lineups and the players’ NSO-authenticated certificates will be on March 16, said Toledo.
Deadline for the paying of registration fee worth P1,200 is also on March 16.
Champion teams will receive trophies and medals, while the runner-up finishers will receive medals, Toledo said.