ON THE hills of Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon, a football club (FC) named after the home stadium of Barcelona FC becomes home of hundreds of young footballers.
Newcamp FC, based in the Northern Bukidnon Community College (NBCC) in Barangay Tankulan at the heart of Manolo Fortich (43.2 kms away from Cagayan de Oro city) town, has existed since 2005 and is a regular in local competitions.
The club was started by football crazy brothers Guiller and Mario Sumampong to spread the gospel of the beautiful game to that side of the 1st class municipality of more than 100,000 people.
Manolo is a rich municipality which has acres of agricultural lands. It has one of the biggest fruit packaging company in the country, Del Monte in Camp Philips. The town also hosts a major tourist destination in Mindanao, the Dahilayan Mountain resort.
Camp Philips also has long football tradition with estate having the best football pitches in Mindanao located at the center of the property.
Football powerhouses Holy Cross High School and Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School (OLLES) are only two of the many football teams which has taken advantage of the pitches. These pitches have moulded countless of of talents, some of them are now playing in the UAAP and in the NCAA.
Newcamp FC does not have the beautiful and manicured pitches of Camp Philips but it has the large football pitch of the Northern Bukidnon Community College (NBCC).
The club also has the very supportive Tankulan baranggay council which has helped them organised the 3rd Anlaw ta Tankulan Football Festival recently. Baranggay officials Allan Improgo, Lemuel Rey Arana, and Nicho Tapales were present during the opening ceremony.
“Me and my brother Mario started Newcamp FC just to really help the kids of Tankulan. We spent our own money at first to buy kits and equipment for the kids to make this club a success,’’ said head coach and founder Guiller Sumampong.
Now, the club has grown bigger and coach Guiller has even resigned from his job of 17 years as a Laboratory Technician with the Polymedic Medical Plaza to work full-time as coach. Guiller, an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) C licensed coach, is also the Grassroots Development Officer (GDO) of the Bukidnon Football Association (BUFA).
At age 40 with two children from wife Vevien, the passion for the beautiful game has not stopped flowing in his bloodstream. He is now also studying to finish some education units to be a qualified secondary school teacher. He is looking forward to work full time as a PE teacher and a football coach in any public or private school.
His brother Mario has left the club and has established his own club, the Lantapan FC in Lantapan town 94.4 kilometers from Manolo Fortich also in Bukidnon. Mario also used to coach Rosevale School.
Almost 100 teams from all over Mindanao joined the 3rd edition of the 3rd Anlaw ta Tankulan Football Festival. Coach Guiller is one of the few coaches who have dedicated their lives teach football to the young kids of Mindanao. He promised to organize more tournaments for the New Year.
But for the meantime, he is busy with his teams preparing for the Northern Mindanao Regional Athletic Association (NMRAA) set in Tangub City in the middle of this month.
3rd Anlaw Ta Tankulan Football Festival 2018 Results:
1st Day (December 1, 2018 - Saturday)
Under 6-Mixed, Champion: Lantapan kickers, 2nd Place: Celestial FC, 3rd Place: Newcamp United FC, MVP- Sumampong, Ozid, Best GK- Takiang, Christian.
Under 8-Mixed Champion: Philchem FC, 2nd Place: Olles, 3rd Place: Lantapan kickers, MVP- Ordinan, Basti, Best GK- Bernales, Resajan,
Under 10 Champion: Philchem FC, 2nd Place: Newcamp United FC; 3rd Place: Olles, MVP- Pagasian, Zen Daryn, Best GK- Selaras, Aaron,
Under 12, Champion: COAA, 2nd Place:, Bukidnon -B, 3rd Place: Corpus Christi FC, MVP-Hortillano, Jrand, Best GK- Guion, Kenny,
Under 14, Champion: M-Kids, 2nd Place: Bulua Strikers, 3rd Place: Holy Cross, MVP- Pechon, Zymer, Best GK- Seraspi, Erik,
Under 17-Boys, Champion: M-Kids, 2nd Place: CDO United, 3rd Place: COAA, MVP-Dutosme, Justin, Best GK, Habenyar, Rohan,
Under 17- Girls, Champion: Bukidnon Gallopers, 2nd Place: Bulua strikers-A, 3rd Place: Bulua Striker-B, MVP-Nicole Lucino, Best GK-Amper Princess,
2nd Day (December 2, 2018 - Sunday)
Women's Open, Champion: Bukidnon Gallopers, 2nd Place: FC95-A, 3rd Place: Celestial FC,
Men's Open, Champion: COAA,2nd Place: FCV-B, 3rd Place: MUFC,
35-Above, Champion: Eastern FC, 2nd Place: Hugpong FC, 3rd Place: Usna Gali
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