YKK Asia, Real Madrid Foundation hold football clinic in Manila

YKK Philippines, Real Madrid Foundation, and Philippine Football Federation exchange tokens of appreciation. Photo by Justin Valencia, PDI trainee

Coaches from Real Madrid Foundation will train 300 Filipino children in a three-day football clinic brought to the country by the YKK Asia Group.

Kids from three non-government organizations will undergo training under RMF coaches Pablo Gomez Revenga, Santiago Sanchez Martin, and Hector Vicente from June 23 to 24 at McKinley Hill Stadium.

“The clinic complements the grassroots program of Philippine Football Federation as there are certain areas that our regional football associations cannot reach that the YKK can,” PFF General Secretary Edwin Gastanes said in a press conference at Shangri-La at the Fort Friday.

The children are aged eight to 15 as YKK and RMF want to discover “future stars” in football.

Meanwhile, 30 local coaches selected by the PFF will get tips from the esteemed mentors on June 22.

“We (PFF) have been increasing our coaches for the past six years, we now want to enhance quality and getting in touch with the Real Madrid Foundation is a good opportunity for us,” Gastanes said. “We will have quality players if we have quality coaches.”

Gastanes also revealed that Bundesliga team Borussia Dortmund also expressed their interest in holding a clinic in the country.

The three NGOs from which the participants came from are Punta Fuego Village Foundation, ChildHope Asia Philippines, and Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation, Inc.

“We (YKK) chose football because it is the highest sport globally and it is the common language of the world,” YKK Philippines AVP for Marketing Augustin Villarama said. Justin Robert Valencia