Over
the course of the last two seasons of the Asian Football Confederation,
one Filipino athlete has personified the leadership and spirit of the
sport. This 14-year-old girl has been attracting the attention of fellow
athletes and thousands of spectators around the region. This “super
kid” is Michaela Jumawan, a sophomore student of the Foundation
University High School.
Equally devoted to both her sport and her
studies, this football enthusiast has shown consistent improvement
since the time she entered the university. “Michaela’s vast improvement
during her time here at FU is a direct result of her hard work and
focus,” said Vladimir Villacora, coach of the FUHS football team. “As a
coach, I have never had to worry about Michaela’s motivation, if
anything, I have had to hold her back at times.”
Jumawan
started playing football recreationally as a 1st grader. “I can still
remember that moment when all of us had to play football in our PE
class. I didn’t really know how to play then, but when I started kicking
the ball and running around the field, I didn’t want to stop. My
teacher had to tell me to get back to the classroom,” she recalled. In
fact, because of the interest she showed in the sport at such an early
age, she was quickly noticed by her first coach and started to get
formal training when she had finally become a member of the football
team of the FU Grade School.
She was a natural as a child
athlete. “I would go jogging with my dad every weekend, and I did it
not because I had to do it as an athlete but simply because I enjoy
doing it,” she remarked.
Dr. Aparicio Mequi, dean of the
Institute for Youth Sports and Peace (IYSPeace) of FU said that despite
her active involvement in sports, she also manages to get good grades.
And she remains very humble and well behaved,” Mequi added.
At
such young age, Jumawan has constantly showed a willingness to take on
bigger challenges, especially after she became an official member of
the Philippine’s national football team U-14 (under 14) girls’ division,
which has competed against countries like Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia,
Vietnam, Malaysia, and Guam.
Source: Dumaguete Metro Post
No comments:
Post a Comment