Soccer clinic enables children and their dads to bond

  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.

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.

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’ interest in the sport.

“At 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’ve developed fun activities that would teach them about coordination and teamwork while enjoying the sport,” Angeles told Saipan Tribune.

It wasn’t just the students who had fun yesterday. Parents also got involved in line with Head Start’s Fatherhood Initiative, which fosters the fathers’ involvement at the center.

“Usually, 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,” Head Start’s Nikita Braganza said.

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.

Gerald Maliwanag of Gualo Rai said he attended the event for his son, 4-year-old Angelo, so they can spend time together. “I know he learned a lot through all the activities we had. We really had fun as well.”

While there were some fathers who took time off for the event, participating parents were still predominantly mothers.

“My son Charles was really looking forward to this event and he even begged his dad to skip work so they can play soccer together,” said Chinatown resident Michelle Guiang.

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.

Shirley Monje, who works at Rota Germanium Mineral Water, echoed Guiang’s sentiment. “At least the children were able to stay outdoors and learn something new today,” she said.

Monje’s son, 5-year-old Francisco Dennis, was also sad that his dad couldn’t make it to the clinic. “Hopefully next time, his dad can join him,” she added.

Veronica Casilihan, mother of 5-year-old Angelie Tobias, said these events motivate children to become involved with sports. “I really commend the school for doing this. My daughter enjoyed the relay race.”

Saipan Soccer School’s Angeles expressed hope that more fathers will participate in the activity next month.

“We promise to give them more fun, challenging, and exciting games for the kids and hopefully, through our events, we’ll have in our midst future NMI soccer players,” he added.