MPU vies for 4th championship

MP United U12 players and coach Gene Weaver huddle before the start of their title match against Paire FC in April this year at the Koblerville Elementary School Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

MP United Football Club’s U12 team will go for championship No. 4 as it participates in the Pacific Ocean Cup 8 this weekend in Numazu, Japan

The squad, made up of Garett and Tori Maratita, Angelo Xu, Yi Sui, Carlo Diaz, Stephanie Kim, Evan Mendiola, Andrew Chung, and Ian Song, leaves Saipan this afternoon with coaches Alex Park and Gene Weaver and team official Lydia Tan. MP United U12 will be playing against host and sister club Vivid Blue, Fact FC, Harasato FC, and Susononishi FC this Saturday and Sunday and hopes to better the group’s performance the last time it played in Japan.

In September last year when Vivid Blue hosted Pacific Ocean Cup 6, MP United failed to win a single game in the five-team field. Pure FC topped the sixth edition of the biannual tournament, while the hosts were ranked second and Dream and Susononishi finished third and fourth, respectively. Jeremiah Diaz, Richard Steele, Garret Weaver, Fiona Bucalig, Dane Hodges, Richard Castro, Tori Weaver, and Jerrick Quimzon were the members of last year’s MPU U12.

In April this year, it was MP United’s turn to host the Pacific Ocean Cup and the group won the championship, adding to their titles in Pacific Ocean Cup 2 and 4. Nagaoka SSS (Pacific Ocean Cup 1), Vivid Blue (Pacific Ocean Cup 3), and Paire FC (Pacific Ocean Cup 5) were the other winners of the competition.

Besides the matches in the Pacific Ocean Cup 8, the IT&E-supported MP United players will also participate in a cultural exchange program with Vivid Blue.

“Some Japanese families of Vivid Blue club will host MP United players. Each family will have two MP United living in their home during the entire trip. It will be a great experience for our young players,” MP United FC interim general secretary Ana Hilario said.

Grassroots coaching workshop tomorrow
Meanwhile, MP United and the seven other clubs are invited to join a grassroots coaching workshop this Saturday at the Koblerville Elementary School.

Coaches in the U6, U8, U10, and U12 (non-competitive) age groups should be in a coaching attire when they attend the clinic that will start with a theoretical session from 2pm to 4pm at the KES cafeteria. The practical part will then be held at the KES pitch from 4:30pm to 6:30pm.

Northern Mariana Islands Football Association technical director Michiteru Mita will facilitate the workshop with the help of his assistants Jersh Angeles and Jonathan Takano. A Grassroots Handbook will be distributed to the coaches.

NMIFA is hosting a series of coaching clinics in preparation for the 2017 NMIFA Fall Youth League that will kick off on Sept. 16.