The Philippines’ official national team for flag football will be making its grand debut on the world stage at the 2023 IFAF Asia-Oceania Flag Football Championships
Though the Hangzhou Asian Games are just behind us, there are more sports competitions to look forward to this year. One such event happening soon is the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Asia-Oceania Flag Football Championships, which will take place in Malaysia from October 27 to 29. Making its debut in this major tournament is Agila Pilipinas, the Philippine delegation and official national team for flag football.
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Photos: AGILA PILIPINAS FLAG FOOTBALL (via Instagram)
Making up the men’s team are Migs de la Peña, Henric Fabros, Brian Lonzaga, King Biray, Franklin Ching, Bry Reyes, Dags Mambuay, RD Valdez, Julian Buban, Aaron Velasquez, Idol Ibañez, and Ceejay Baldo. For the women’s team, we have Cath Roa, Nina Juan, Nikki Manalo, Vida Gonzales, Althea Payumo, Liz Zamora, Nerisse Buenconsejo, Vikki Luta, Anj Collanto, Bea Ignacio, Gaby Dela Merced, and Iris Dizon.
Here to tell us more about the sport and their training routines are Henric Fabros and Bea Ignacio.
In case you didn’t know, flag football is a non-contact variant of American football where you “deflag” other players instead of tackling them. This key element of the sport makes it a welcoming one for people of all ages since you get the thrill of playing football without as much risk of serious injury. Not only is the sport age-inclusive and sustainable, but flag football is beginner-friendly, too.
Take Bea and Henric for example. Both are participating in the IFAF Asia-Oceania Flag Football Championships as part of team Agila Pilipinas, but the two only began playing the sport in January of this year. After a series of training sessions and games, they were shortlisted for the men’s and women’s teams’ respective training pools. Because of how quick they were to take up the sport, they urged other Filipinos to try their hands at it as well.
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In Henric’s own words, “Starting out in flag football can be a rewarding but challenging experience. It’s common for beginners to face initial difficulties, whether it’s understanding the rules, improving skills, or getting comfortable with the game dynamics. However, remember that every experienced player was once a beginner.”
According to Bea, a few other members of the women’s team are beginner players like herself, so they have been training intensively for the past four to five months. Training takes about two to four hours each time, rain or shine, on Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Outside of that, she still goes to the gym for conditioning and functional training. Likewise, Henric says consistent practice is key to improvement, so they spend their Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays honing their passing, catching, and flag-pulling skills.
With the competition a mere few weeks away, the players are understandably eager to prove their mettle on the world stage. For Bea, she describes this experience as exciting. “Apart from it being a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, it’s exciting that we get to show our true and core talents and resiliency on the field, bringing the flag and name of the nation with us. But generally, the team is motivated and ready to show what we have in the IFAF tournament,” she said.
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Similarly, Henric said that being part of the national team is a profound and rewarding experience for him as he carries the responsibility of representing the country on a larger stage. Facing off against the best athletes and teams from around the world pushes him to continually improve his skills and performance. Adding to that, he mentioned that he now feels a responsibility to help inspire future generations of athletes in the Philippines to pursue their dreams in sports.
With this greater responsibility in mind, Henric said, “Let us continue to rally behind our athletes by providing them with the necessary support, whether through access to training facilities, financial assistance, or mentorship, to empower our athletes to reach their full potential. Additionally, let us tirelessly inspire the young generations, our future athletes, by showcasing the values of sportsmanship, discipline, and determination.”
Featured Image: NINA JUAN (via Instagram)
