Bluejaz hosts Kicksand beach football on Saturday

 Beach Football Association of the Philippines (BFAP) president Mike Athab (left) with PSC senior executive assistant Atty. Guillermo Iroy, Jr. during the awarding program in the Kicksand Beach Football Luzon leg. (F1 Event Solutions Inc.)

DAVAO CITY—Bluejaz Resort and Waterpark lays down its new beach football facility on Saturday with the staging of the 2011 2011 Kicksand Beach Football Tournament Mindanao Leg in Samal Island.

Saturday’s action will be for the women’s division where seven teams have signified to crowd the hunt for the title. The women’s division is composed of Black Knights, Solido FC, Team Galaxy, Igacos-Bluejaz, DDS Tigs, DDS Teens and Metro TMS Angels.

A brief opening ceremony will formally open hostilities in this event organized by the Beach Football Association. BFAP President Mike Athab and Island Garden City of Samal Mayor Aniano Antalan are the guests of honor in the opening program. Also expected are Davao Football Association president Edward Lam and vice president Erwin Protacio, Davao Norte FA president Rene Cosmod and Bluejaz Resort owners Richard and Jazmin Middleton.

Leading the title-hunters in the men’s division is the veteran-laden Columbia FC, a fixture in club football tournaments in Davao for the past two decades. Out to make the battle for supremacy a wide open race are Black Knights, Metro TMS, Solido FC, Philippine Rabies, Tagum City, Bluejaz FC, PNP-Davao Norte, Team Asbal, Metro Card Club 3410, Kingfisher, Montevista FC, Igacos FC, Malita FC, Central United and S&G Adventures.

Four teams are still on the waitlist for the men’s division—Seagull, Bulldogs, Solido FC-B, and Malita-B.

The tournament is the final leg of the beach football trilogy that started in Subic on April 16-17 and Boracay on May 28-29. Mama Sitas FC and Libertas FC won the titles in the Luzon leg in Subic while Loco Frio Boracay won the Visayas leg recently over Zigzag FC. Holiday Homes Boracay pocketed third place.

The Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Football Federation are supporting the tournament which hopes to discover fresh talents for future beach football national teams.

The event is backed up by major sponsors NIVEA Sun and official carrier SEAIR, minor sponsor Sun Cellular, media partners Aksyon Radio Sports TV5, ABS-CBN Davao, 105.9 Mix FM, Mindanao Daily Mirror, Sunstar Davao, GMTV, and 106.1 Radio Boracay, and event partners Bluejaz Resort and Waterpark, Subic Metropolitan Authority, La Isla Bonita Resort Boracay, Boracay Terraces Hotel, Boracay Paradise Hotel, Cool Waves Boracay, and Wilson.

F1 Event Solutions Inc. is the official marketing group of the tournament which is also held in coordination with Davao Football Association, Davao del Norte Football Association and Igacos FA.PR