The Saipan Soccer School hosted yesterday a soccer clinic for students at the Joaquina M. Rabauliman Head Start Center in Garapan\/Chinatown. About a hundred youngsters ages 3 to 6 from six classes took part in either the morning or afternoon session. The activity was so successful that it is set to become a monthly event.<\/p>\n
Spearheading the soccer clinic were Saipan Soccer School coaches Jershwin Angeles, Ruselle Zapanta, and visiting coaches Wai Wo Lee and Andy Leung of ChelseaFC Soccer School in Hong Kong. <\/p>\n
Both morning and afternoon sessions saw students divided into three teams, each handled by one coach for a fun-filled hour of soccer drills aimed at encouraging the students\u2019 interest in the sport.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt Saipan Soccer School, our focus is really at the grassroots level, developing the interest for soccer at an early age. With our soccer clinic for the Head Start students, we\u2019ve developed fun activities that would teach them about coordination and teamwork while enjoying the sport,\u201d Angeles told Saipan Tribune.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t just the students who had fun yesterday. Parents also got involved in line with Head Start\u2019s Fatherhood Initiative, which fosters the fathers\u2019 involvement at the center.<\/p>\n
\u201cUsually, we have more mothers than fathers because fathers are usually the breadwinners of the family. But we do have a good number of fathers also that are very active and come in regularly,\u201d Head Start\u2019s Nikita Braganza said.<\/p>\n
Braganza said the soccer clinic gives Head Start students the chance to spend time with their fathers and other male figures in the form of the soccer coaches.<\/p>\n
Gerald Maliwanag of Gualo Rai said he attended the event for his son, 4-year-old Angelo, so they can spend time together. \u201cI know he learned a lot through all the activities we had. We really had fun as well.\u201d <\/p>\n
While there were some fathers who took time off for the event, participating parents were still predominantly mothers.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy son Charles was really looking forward to this event and he even begged his dad to skip work so they can play soccer together,\u201d said Chinatown resident Michelle Guiang.<\/p>\n
Still, Guiang expressed her appreciation to the Saipan Soccer School for hosting the clinic which she said is a big help at this day and age when more children live sedentary lives.<\/p>\n
Shirley Monje, who works at Rota Germanium Mineral Water, echoed Guiang\u2019s sentiment. \u201cAt least the children were able to stay outdoors and learn something new today,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Monje\u2019s son, 5-year-old Francisco Dennis, was also sad that his dad couldn\u2019t make it to the clinic. \u201cHopefully next time, his dad can join him,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
Veronica Casilihan, mother of 5-year-old Angelie Tobias, said these events motivate children to become involved with sports. \u201cI really commend the school for doing this. My daughter enjoyed the relay race.\u201d<\/p>\n
Saipan Soccer School\u2019s Angeles expressed hope that more fathers will participate in the activity next month.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe promise to give them more fun, challenging, and exciting games for the kids and hopefully, through our events, we\u2019ll have in our midst future NMI soccer players,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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