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NMIFA holds AFC Women’s Football Day
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- Young participants perform drills before picking up disc cones. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
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- Players give instructions to their teammates who try to dribble around the cones. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
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- Players watch their teammate dribbles around the cones. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
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- A mother walks around the cone and gets instructions from her fellow moms. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
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- Facilitator Angie Ito watches participants do fun drills. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
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- Participants in the AFC Women’s Football Day gather for a group photo yesterday at the Hopwood Middle School Field. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
More than 60 women of all ages gathered at the Hopwood Middle School Field yesterday to participate in the Northern Mariana Islands Football Association-organized AFC Women’s Football Day.
The Dove-supported event, which according to Asian Football Confederation is designed to recognize, celebrate and promote the development of women’s football, had mothers, their daughters, students, friends, and teamates enjoying fun activities and learning football skills.
Members of the CNMI Women’s National Team training pool facilitated the activities, which included obstacle course, football drills, and scrimmages.
“It was fun and I enjoyed doing it,” said Krizzy Cepeda, who came to the event with her mom.
Amy Quintos also joined the event with her daughter, Sophia, and said that the parents seemed to enjoy the activities more than their children.
“We, mothers are not always given the opportunity to do things like these so we’re happy to be part of this event. We are able to spend time with our daughters and fellow mothers on the field,” Quintos said.
Ladyvir Canape said with mothers taking interest in football and other events that promote health and wellness, it is easier for them to encourage their children to try sports, too.
“Mothers are role models to their children, so if we are active and are enjoying fun activities like these, we can convince our children to also get involved in sports. Plus, we’re not getting younger anymore so we have to take care of ourselves by staying fit through participation in sports,” Canape said.
Brinel Quitugua of Southern United Football Club said she joined the event because she loved playing in a non-competitive setting and spending time with her teammates without worrying about winning or losing.
