Principal Jenny Of Pagatpat Elementary School Leads The Way In Football Development in CDO Public Schools

PAGATPAT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY PRINCIPAL JENNY ESPINA DOES THE CEREMONIAL KICK OFF DURING THE RECENT PIA CDO FUTSAL INVITATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS. (PHOTO BY Jack Biantan) 

PAGATPAT Elementary School in the suburbs of Cagayan de Oro City is by far one of the few public schools in city which has supported the sport of football for many years now.

The other three are the Bulua National High School, Bulua Elementary School and West City Central School.

The main reason why Pagatpat Elementary School is so active in football is its tireless principal Jenny Espina.

PRINCIPAL JENNY HAS CONSPIRED WITH TEACHER AKIM BRANZUELA

TO MAKE PAGATPAT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL A HAVEN FOR FOOTBALL.

With out any fanfare Jenny with her teacher Akim Branzuela for many years now have been slowly developing the sport in their barangay. They have been also the pillars of sport in their school.

Cagayan de Oro Misamis Oriental Regional Football Association (CMORFA) president Percy Guarin has been instrumental in pushing for the beautiful game to be part of the school’s year round sports activities.

With meager resources Jenny and Akim have to start from scratch and slowly taught the children to love the beautiful game. They have used their small space as a pitch to train kids and improve their skills.

THIS WAS HOW BAD PAGATPAT PITCHED

LOOKED LAST YEAR AND EARLY THIS YEAR.

Last year and early this year however,  they could not use the pitch as truckloads of debris from the newly built classrooms were dumped on the pitch. But they refused to stop their program and resumed the training of the kids on their  covered basketball court.

WITHOUT THE PITCH PAGATPAT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STARTED TO UPGRADE ITS COVERED COURT AND EVEN HOSTED SOME MATCHES IN THE PIA/CDO FUTSAL INVITATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS.

As the kids started playing on the covered court, they have discovered a new sport, Futsal and they have loved it. Unfortunately the Department of Education competitions in Futsal are only for high school girls.

This did not discouraged the Pagatpat kids though, as they continued to hone their skills on the smaller hard court.

 PRINCIPAL JENNY (center right photo) AND PAGATPAT ALSO HOSTED THE COACHES ACROSS CONTINENTS COACHING COURSE THIS YEAR.

Even without a pitch, the school has produced talents and the best of them all is Vigan Palaro veteran Vanvan Sambaan. The stocky Pagatpat kid started playing at Pagatpat since he was little kid. Jenny and Akim have guided this kid to become a skilful player.

VANVAN SAMBAAN PLAYING FOR REGION X

TEAM IN THE THIRSTY CUP LAST JANUARY

Even Higala FC head coach Weng Dela Riarte has noticed the skills of Vanvan and made him a scholar for the club. Vanvan now plays for Higala FC when he is not playing for Pagatpat Elementary School.

This school year, the Pagatpat pitch is starting to get back to normal as the debris have been slowly removed. But what has gone better for the football playing Pagatpat kids is the assignment of known football coach from Bukidnon, Jun Tollittle to the school.

COACH JUN TOLITTLE WITH THE BIG MAN

Tolittle, a teacher and a football coach from Bukidnon, is a blessing for Pagatpat players and has slowly turned them into an ultimate fighting team. Coach Tolittle is getting full support from the Pagatpat Elementary School administration.

With the support and with Tolittle at helm, are now among the team to watch in the elementary division in the coming Cagayan de Oro Division meet.

There is only one women responsible for the rise of Pagatpat in the the football map of Cagayan de Oro and principal Jenny Espina is  the architect for that. 

If only all the officials in Department of Education schools are like Jenny, football will definitely prosper. (l.biantan@gmail.com)