Travel Series: Kaya Goes to Bohol
Kaya and Stallion went to Bohol to participate in the 2014 Bohol Football Summer Camp, a three-day football event of pure fun and football. We also worked with Habitat for Humanity to give back to the community. It was a wonderful experience on the beautiful island of Bohol, and with the help of our very own Coach David Perkovic, we will recount our trip. Sit down and chillax as we bring you to Bohol!
All packed up and ready to go, Kaya left Manila early in the morning to fly to Bohol. We were joined by Stallion FC as well.
After a quick stopover in Cebu, we arrived safely in Bohol—with a lovely welcome from the candidates of Mutya sa Tagbilaran 2014.
“As soon as we walked off the ferry, we were welcomed by the candidates of Mutya sa Tagbilaran 2014, which was a nice surprise for the players,” said Coach David.
Every minute on the island was well spent. After arriving, the team paid a courtesy call to Gov. Edgar Chatto, who was very friendly and welcoming. It was easy to feel at home in Bohol with the hospitality given to us.
“Day 1 was a long day of traveling. However, it was all worth it. We got to meet Gov. Edgar Chatto, who welcomed us before we headed to the football clinic for the kids,” narrated Coach David.
The team, together with Stallion, got down to business shortly after, and we met and taught the kids. It was a great first day in Bohol. It was another manifestation of football being a common language that brings people together.
After our unforgettable first day, we were ready to attack the second day of the summer camp with excitement and eagerness. It was all about football on that day.
We gave some drills and demonstrated how to do them properly. We even shared some tips and tricks!
Most of all, we wanted to leave the impression that football is best started while they are still young and that football is all about having fun.
Coach David and Coach Ernie (of Stallion FC) also conducted a workshop for the local coaches at the HNU Dampas Campus. They passed down their knowledge and gave some techniques that they could use during their training.
“Day 2, in the morning, we coached the older group of kids ages 13 and up. In the evening, the players coached the younger kids, and Coach Errnie and I put on an educational workshop for the local coaches, where we discussed everything, from formations to how to structure a training session,” recalled Coach David.
We made sure that it was a fruitful and educational summer camp for everyone, from players to coaches. Something to remember for the rest of their lives.
In the morning, we took a short break from our usual football routine and made a trip to the Habitat for Humanity build site. We participated in the Re-Build Bohol project, a pilot community-wide build where they use a bamboo and cement technology.
“Day 3, in the morning, we had an hour-long bus ride to get to the Habitat for Humanity build site. While traveling, we got to see the damages of the 7.2 earthquake to the homes, businesses, and we even a saw what was left of a church from the 1600s. We arrived to the build site, and we got to work straight away, building a house for a family that lost their home in the earthquake.”
“After our hard work, the boys got to enjoy fresh buko juice and banana and rice mashed together served in a banana leaf (very delicious),” described Coach David.
On October 15, 2013, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck Bohol, and at least 10,000 homes were completely destroyed, and over 35,000 were damaged in Central Visayas. We are grateful for the opportunity to help the community through Habitat for Humanity.
“It was a pleasure to work with Habitat for Humanity for the day. They are doing a fantastic job of rebuilding people’s homes to the people of Bohol. I would recommend anybody to either try and volunteer or donate to this worthy cause,” shared Coach David.
The Philippines is not new to natural disasters. We have been a victim of typhoons and earthquakes over the years, but resilience is something that keeps us going. We have shown to the world that we are capable of moving on and moving forward. The chance to work with Habitat for Humanity reminded us of that resilience and that we can all work together to rebuild what has been broken.
“It felt [like a] great feeling to help people we don’t know, people that needed help. To us, it wasn’t much, what we contributed, but to the people in the area we were working with, they appreciated our efforts, and that is something that inspires us to do more work for charity in the future,” recounted Coach David.
After that inspiring and humbling experience, we were in football mode again. After the youth tournament, we capped off the last day of the summer camp with an exhibition match, which not only featured us and Stallion, but also the promising Boholano football players.
“That afternoon, we put on a youth tournament where the competitive nature of the players came out. Players were in charge of their own teams (they got to see a little insight of what is like to be a coach on game day). The players were passionate about their teams and encouraged them the whole tournament. There were cheers, chants, and a lot of laughter. The kids looked like they really enjoyed being mentored by their UFL idols and playing the beautiful game. Following that, we had an exhibition game with combination teams of local players joining either Kaya FC or Stallion. Although Kaya lost the game due the poor coaching (Alfred Osei) and poor finishing (uhum, David Perkovic), we all really enjoyed the game, and every player walked off the pitch with a big smile on their faces,” recapped Coach David.
Our third day was a great ending to the summer camp. It gave us a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment. We had a blast, Bohol! We will surely be back.
For three days in Bohol, we got the chance to inspire kids and rebuild the province, but in reality, we were the ones who were truly inspired. Thank you.
We had so much fun in Bohol that we sat down with Coach David again to ask some questions about the trip.
First impression of Bohol?
“Bohol is beautiful. A perfect way to unwind and relax.”
How many kids participated in the football summer camp?
“The football summer camp was great. So many kids turned up, and when the news spread, even more kids turned up. I don’t know the exact numbers, but I would safely say that we coached over 200 kids per day. It really showed us that football can grow so much not only in Bohol but in the Philippines in general.”
Did you see any potential in any of the kids?
“There were a lot of kids that love the game and have good raw talent.”
Describe the state of football in Bohol.
“There is a lot of good work being done in football in Bohol, but there is still so much to do, and that is reminiscent of what I have seen in the rest of the Philippines. I truly believe football is a sleeping giant.”
How was it playing and working with Stallion for three days?
“It was fantastic to work with another UFL team on this trip. Although we may be opponents on the pitch, off the pitch on this trip, we worked well as teammates for the community of Bohol and football in general. I would love to work with the Stallion again on another campaign but I encourage other UFL teams to join Stallion and Kaya next time.”
Most memorable experience in Bohol?
“All experiences were fantastic, and I’m sure that everyone that was a part of it had their different highlights, but for me, the best parts of my experiences in Bohol were, firstly, the build for Habitat for Humanity, Re-Build Bohol, because we contributed to be a part of rebuilding people’s lives. And secondly, the coaching workshop that Ernie and I worked together on as it was our way of passing on a little bit of our experiences and beliefs to the local coaches.”
CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE PHOTOS HERE.
All photos courtesy of Coach David Perkovic and Anna Igpit.
We would like to thank the organizers, Anna Igpit of ClassAct (Philippines) Foundation Inc., Football and Futsal Association of Bohol, Inc. (FFABI), Bohol Provincial Government, and Tagbilaran City Government for inviting us to be part of the summer camp and assisting us throughout our stay in Bohol.
