LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – A two-day Beach Games was held at the Capitol Beach Front, here, last October 28 and 29, where Pangasinan’s beach volleyball players hauled both top spots in men’s and women’s beach volleyball.
Team competitions in flag football, a first-time sports event to be introduced at the Lingayen beachfront, beach handball, and beach volleyball were held while beach handball clinic for teachers and coaches also highlighted the event.
In total, there were 24 participating teams beach volleyball, eight teams in flag football and seven teams in beach handball. The eight teams in flag football include the following: MUIC 1 (all male), MUIC II (all female) both from Thailand; ADMU Blue Raiders; Agila Pilipinas; New Era University 1; New Era University II; Colossus Team; and Japan Team.
Flag football is a small scale version of American football where the basic rules of the game are similar with the mainstream football (often called “tackle football”) but instead of tackling players to the ground, the defensive team must remove a flag or flag belt from the ball carrier to end a down.
As explained by Paul Le, coach of Agila Pilipinas, flag football is a game of conditioning and stamina building that requires tactics and strategy.
Winners in the flag football are as follows: 1st place-Team Japan, 2nd place- Agila Pilipinas, 3rd place- Ateneo de Manila University-Blue Raiders.
The successful staging got the provincial government in cooperation with JCI Lingayen Liberation II and other sponsors contemplating in holding a bigger competition on summer next year in time for the Pistay Dayat celebration, urging local athletes to participate not only in beach volleyball but also in flag football.
Meanwhile, JP Demontano, overall coordinator of the event, commended Governor Amado Espino III for the support that was accorded to them, noting that Lingayen beachfront is so far, the best venue they have seen.
Aside from thanking the provincial government, Demontano also hailed the strong support of Bugallon Mayor Jumel Anthony Espino and Urbiztondo Mayor Martin Raul Sison who served as among the sponsors together with Smart, San Miguel Beer, Mama Sita’s, Victory Liner, Inc. EBC Sports and HypeHouse.
Espino, thru Sports Director Modesto Operania, expressed appreciation to the organizers and participants of the event, held in coordination with the Philippine Football Federation.
By: Ruby Bernardino