THE CEBU CITY SPORTS COMPLEX PITCH HAS PLENTY OF GRASSLESS SPOTS AS OF THE MOMENT. HERE THE THE PITCH IS BEING USED FOR A FLAG FOOTBALL EVENT. IT NEEDS AT LEAST TWO MONTHS FOR THE GRASSES TO COMPLETELY GROW.
In 2012 during the start of the reign of Ricky Dakay as Cebu Football Association (CFA) president, his initial project to develop football in the city was to rehabilitate the Cebu City Sports Center pitch so that it could host the Azkals friendly match against Singapore.
THE CCSC IN ITS GLORIOUS STATE BEFORE THE AZKALS-SINGAPORE FRIENDLY MATCH IN 2012.
Then few months later, Cebu Football Association (CFA) became the center of football in the country. Exactly, November 15, 2012 etched in the history of Cebu football and the country when the Philippine Azkals edged Singapore 1-0, in their preparation for the Suzuki Cup.
Substitute Marwin Angeles drilled in the winning goal of the match that sent the more than 10,000 paying Cebuano fans crazy.
It was the heroics of goalkeeper Edward Sacapaño that saved the day for the Azkals and thrilled the Cebuanos.
ANOTHER ANGLE OF THE CCSC PITCH BEFORE IN 2012.
In the April 27, 2014, the Azkals came back to Cebu again to play another friendly this time against Malaysia. The paying Cebuanos came in droves again to support the Azkals.
It was another goalkeeper that time, Patrick Deyto, who played hero as he saved a penalty shot that saved the night for Azkals and saved their blushes from the Cebuanos.
Those were two nights worth remembering for the Cebuanos but many do not know how much preparation and sweat did the Cebu Football Association (CFA) put into just to make the two matches successful.
The two football playing Musni brothers Dino and Raffy were in charge of making sure the pitch was in good shape. Dino, my former player when I was still the head coach of the University of San Carlos during the early 90’s was a very hard working central defender but he worked the hardest to make sure the grasses on the field grew long enough and playable for the matches.
THE RAIN HAS STARTED TO MAKE THE PITCH GREEN AGAIN BUT IT WILL TAKE AT LEAST TWO MONTHS TO MAKE IT GREEN ALL OVER.
The CCSC pitch was like a dust bowl when they started the rehabilitation. Luckily, the Cebu City government during that time under then mayor Mike Rama was very supportive. Dino was on the pitch everyday for three months watering and taking out weeds and making sure nobody would play.
During match day, their efforts paid off as the players were pleased of condition of the pitch. But then mayor Rama lost to Tomas Osmeña in the 2016 election. From then on the CCSC started its decline again as the Osmeña did not care to maintain the pitch.
The pitch was trampled, rolled by thousands of motorbikes, stamped by thousands of feet, and hosted countless of political and religious events, and concerts. Now the pitch is back in its pre-2012 state.
The only consolation is that the rains have started and the green patches have started to grow.
“Give it one to two months then it will be green again,’’ said Abellana National School (ANS) sports coordinator Francis Ramirez said. Abellana National School is where the Cebu City Sports Center stands.
Ramirez is a long time football supporter and a coach of the ANS football team. He is also involved with the Cebu City Department of Education Division Sports department.
Central Visayas Football Regional Association (CVRFA), the precursor of the Cebu Football Association (CFA) new leader, Engr. Rodney Orale has a big challenge to face. How to ready the pitch for the Philippine Football League (PFL) for the Philippine Air Force FC.
As of the moment the best they could do is to seat down with the management of the CCSC and the new Cebu City government to allow the grass to grow for one or two months.
The long term plan should be to scrape the grasses and the soil on the pitch and replace it with an artificial turf just like Leylam FC’s Dynamic Herb-Borromeo Sports Complex, University of Mindanao in Mental Davao, Vigan Sports Center, Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila and may other turf pitches in the country today.
The artificial turf at the CCSC will insure football can be played 24 hours a day rain or shine. It will also cement the presence of PAF FC presence in Cebu City while Leylam FC can take over Cebu Province in their home field at the South Reclamation Project in Talisay City.
If Leylam FC becomes professional in 2020 then two professional teams for Cebu will not be bad for the province. (l.biantan@gmail.com)
