Football ta!

"Football ta!"

(Hiligaynon, "football tayo!" or "let's play football!")

Source:
http://tinyurl.com/b4ocghj

Back in high school, I always hear this line. Especially after the school bell has rung long and twice. Particularly coming from my best friend's mouth, and with the football carried upon his waist.

We joined this little football club back in high school when we were still in second year. I really think it was a funny club to join in to. I don't know who dragged who or if it was out of pure volunteerism or interest from the two of us, but whichever indeed was the case, I'm sure glad we did join the club.

At around 5 every afternoon, we, along with the other football-playing and -enthused friends the club has managed to recruit that school year, meet up at the football field in front of the campus grandstand, strip off our white polo shirts,  take off our black leather shoes, and just start kicking and tossing balls to and in the field. Man, I miss kicking balls back there! Anyway, we'll play until the sun is out. Even if, for example, it's just a fun time play, we play hard. That's just how we all play.

I'm already in college, and for quite some time now, I'm an applicant for membership to a football club here, too. This club holds friendly football games every Wednesdays and Fridays at the sunken field.

I remember very well, at the end of one football game one afternoon, this visiting guy I happened to play ball with in the field who approached and asked me, "Ilonggo kamo ay?" (He asked me if we were Ilonggos) I was, at that time, with an Ilonggo friend, too, so he was definitely referring to us two, I thought.

Well, of course, I answered yes. If one happens to know and could understand Hiligaynon, then he could have surely recognized us two to be true, home-grown Ilonggos while in the game. We were endlessly cursing and mocking some of our useless teammates during the game you know.

He laughed at that, but cleared it out to us after that that wasn't really his main reason for asking us if we were indeed Ilonggos. He pointed out to us that anyone could learn how to speak how the Ilonggos speak. But only a few, and only the Ilonggos, have the potential to play and could play football so hardcore-ly and so skillfully just like that. According to him, Ilonggos move around the field with well-thought plans on where to go; they don't just move impulsively so just to make a shot or what. Ilonggos, he also added, seem to not feel petty pains or seem to not care about puny scratches on their knees or seem to not worry to dive or do backflips at all. That's during the game and while in the field. That time, I could not agree more with him!

Ilonggos do not just play with passion, but in passion.

Source:
http://tinyurl.com/axpuasw
Anyway, this is a photo of my high school football club after a friendly
match that the club organized at the Iloilo Sports Complex, Iloilo City last 2012.