Tulad ng maraming Pilipino, kinalakihan ng Team Coordinator ng Filipino team ang paglalaro ng basketbol, ngunit nitong taon sinimulan ng 50-anyos ang paglalaro ng football kasama ang ibang kabataan sa Melbourne.
"It was the first time that a Filipino team joined and played for the Touch Footy World Cup organised by the Australia Football International (AFI)," ani Neil Daculan.
Highlight
- Walang pinipiling edad ang pagsubok ng isang panibagong laro, tulad ng pag-aaral ng football na isa sa kinahihiligang laro ng mga Australyano.
- Sa paglalaro ng football, lalo mo pang makikilala ang iba't ibang kultura at komunidad sa Australia.
- Malaki rin ang pakinabang ng football sa pisikal na kalusugan at kabuuang kapakanan ng isang tao.
Pag-aaral ng isang bagong isport
Hindi maikakaila na basketball ang pinakasikat na laro para sa maraming Pilipino. Pero halos hindi rin naiiba ang paglalaro ng football. Kailangan din dito ang pagtutulungan ng mga manlalaro.
"If you do sport, any sports for that matter, it’s the same sort of dynamics. You need communication, learn the basic skills of the sport - in basketball that would be dribbling; in football, that would be handballing and kicking," paliwanag ni tatay-tatayan ng Filipino team.
Sa kanilang pagsabak sa unang Touch Footy World Cup, ang Filipino team ay binubuo ng 8 lalaki at 4 na babaeng manlalaro.
AFL Philippine team. Source: Team Philippines AFL Facebook
Binuo ng Australia Football International, layunin ng Touch Footy World Cup na makapaglaro ang ibang komunidad na hindi nakakasali sa Harmony Cup, isa pang liga na nangangailangan ng mas maraming manlalaro sa isang team at mas pisikal na paglalaro.
Ang touch footy na nagmula sa AFL 9’s ay kaiba sa regular na football game. Mas malumay ang paglalaro nito at walang nangyayaring sunggaban ng bola.
"Instead of being tackled by opponents trying to grab or take the ball from you, in Touch Footy, you will not be tackled. Rather, you will only be touched or tapped, and upon being touch, you need to let go of the ball within 2-3 seconds, either you hand ball it or kick pass it to a teammate (who is the next receiver of the ball)," paliwanag ni Filipino team coordinator.
"It's never too late to learn a new sport. Look at me, I'm 50 and only started playing football now," kwento ni Daculan.
Pakikihalubilo sa mga kapwa Aussie
Team Philippines with Australian Football International CEO Brian Clarke (right most) Source: Team Philippines AFL Facebook
Isang maganda at masayang paraan ang paglalaro ng football para makahalubilo ang mga kapwa Australyano.
“I thought footy is a good game to actually learn the Aussie culture. Because this is a very Aussie game," anang Australian Filipino Community Services (AFCS) Project worker na si Neil Daculan.
Tulad na lamang ng kanilang paglahok sa unang AFI Touch Footy World Cup. Isang pagkakataon na makadaupang palad nila ang mga manlalaro na may iba't ibang pinagmulang kultura.
Nakilala nila ang walong (8) koponan na kumakatawan sa iba't ibang kultura na makikita sa Melbourne. Ilan sa mga kalahok ang koponan ng Mexico, El Salvador at Netherlands.
"You will be able to integrate with the Australian community and then you began to realise how beautiful actually the game is,” dagdag ni G Daculan.
Tumutugon ito sa layunin ng Touch Footy World Cup na ipagdiwang ang multikultural na pagkakaiba at pagkakaisa sa Melbourne at gamitin sa isport para alisin ang anumang hadlang sa kultural at etniko.
Pakinabang sa katawan at pagkatao
Madalas na sabihin na masyadong pisikal na laro ang football, pero kaiba ang paglalaro ng social footy, lahad ni Neil Daculan.
"Lagi nilang sinasabi, masyadong pisikal yan. But I told them, this is not the usual footy. Instead, it’s the social footy or touch footy".
"Yes, you need to run when playing footy, you need a certain level of fitness. But, it's not necessary that all the positions in footy you will be running a lot." sabi ni G Daculan.
AFL Philippine Team in training. Source: Team Philippines AFL Facebook
"If for example you are in the midfield, you need a certain level of fitness, not at the highest level but fit enough to do a lot of running. And if you get too tired, there are other players who can substitute for you."
"Ang mga basketball players, magaling sa lateral movement, patakbo-takbo, papa-atras at abante," na hindi nalalayo sa football ani AFCS Project Worker, na siyang dahilan kaya ilan sa kanilang football team members na kanyang ni-recruit ay mga naglalaro ng basketball.
The beauty of football: playing with teams from different culture. Source: Team Philippines AFL Facebook
Bukod sa benepisyo sa katawan, nagpapasaya din ang paglalaro ng football.
"It makes you happy too. When you are running, when you have certain sports, your dopamine level increases so you’re happier. So it will take care of your wellness."
BASAHIN DIN/PAKINGGAN
