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Thursday, August 03, 2006
Age rule ‘to hurt’ Cebu defense
By Mike Limpag
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
The new guidelines from the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) is keeping Queen City United coach Dexter Arrojado from putting up a stronger backline in the National Women's Open Championships in Dumaguete City.
Ironically the regulation—which sets the minimum age in the tournament at 16—was to level the playing field and to separate the young girls from the women.
"There's already a national competition for the young girls, so that's why the PFF set the new guidelines," Cebu Football Association president Jonathan Maximo said in an earlier interview.
Among the players under 16 years old affected by the rule is defender Gabi Aboitiz from Cebu International School.
"Aboitiz is very useful, she's tall and experienced and she doesn't get scared," said Queen City United coach Dexter Arrojado.
QCU needs to beef up its defense for the National finals to avoid a repeat of a humbling 0-5 loss to Davao City in the finals last year in Davao.
This year's nationals will also have an entry from the National Capitol Region for the first time, while the rest of the team will be mostly Visayas and Mindanao-based.
Queen City, which earned the right to represent Cebu after topping the just concluded Aboitiz Women's Cup, will reinforce their team with players from Cebu International School, San Roque and the University of San Carlos.
CIS players Stephanie Sharpe, who played for San Roque in the Women's Cup, and Presley Cunningham will join schoolmate Gabi Mercado, who plays for Queen City.
Former Queen City plauyer Carmel Colina will also beef up the squad, together with USC's Courtney Cangue.
The team will leave for Dumaguete this Saturday in time for a one-day rest before hostilities open on Monday.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (August 3, 2006 issue)
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