Field of dreams: Why playing grounds should also matter

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Developing talent in any sport should be coupled with investing in world-class facilities, says E-Sports International, which pushes for more standardized football fields and game venues in the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines – Grassroots sports planning in the Philippines focuses mainly on talent identification and development.

But there’s one aspect that sometimes gets overlooked — building the right place to play.

“If we want to have international athletes, we need to have international fields, too,” said Audris Romualdez, founder and managing director of E-Sports International, a leading builder of sports facilities in the Philippines.

In football, for instance, Romualdez noted the importance of standardization to ensure that the playing fields in the Philippines will be the same as the fields in any part of the world.

“We want to have world-class athletes and they will not be born in one day,” said Romualdez. “And if we don’t give them facilities where they can train, it will be harder.”

By building FIFA-certified fields in schools, cities, and communities, Romualdez said it would leave an indelible impact on grassroots sports, as aspiring football athletes can safely become accustomed to playing on internationally standardized surfaces, while honing their skills.

Alonte Football Stadium in Biñan, Laguna

Anthony Apparailly, executive sports director of Acousto-Scan, an international laboratory that specializes in testing sporting and playground surfaces accredited by global sports governing bodies, also noted the long-term impact.

“It’s important to give opportunity to players for growth and training on the field as the same players in Europe or any ball club in the world,” said Apparailly, who has partnered with E-Sports International since 2014.

“From there, they have the chance to be recruited. They will improve and they can have a career. It’s for the grassroots.”

“It’s very important for the Philippines to have a certified field as it will allow development for Philippine football,” he added.

E-Sports International founder and managing director Audris Romualdez and Acousto-Scan executive sports director Anthony Apparailly,

E-Sports International has built nine of the 11 FIFA-certified football fields in the Philippines, including the playing grounds at the Rizal Memorial Complex in Manila, University of the Philippines in Diliman, the Alonte Football Stadium in Biñan, and the Romblon National High School.

It had built a total of 23 football fields across the country, with more lined up including the FIFA-certified football fields in Maasin, Leyte and in the Mindanao Civic Center in Lanao del Norte.

“We have committed in ourselves in that mission and vision, in building these kinds of facilities,” said Romualdez.

Rizal Memorial Football Stadium in Manila

Pam Romualdez, general manager of E-Sports International, said they’re driven to build pitches, as well as oval tracks, courts and other facilities in more provinces across the country.

“There is no place in the Philippines that we will say no to. We have a multi-purpose sports center in Sulu, and a football pitch high up in the mountains,” said Pam Romualdez.

“Our goal is to build world-class sports facilities all over the country so that athletes will no longer feel the need to seek training abroad simply because they don’t have international standard venues in their location.” – with reports from Jasmine W. Payo/Rappler.com

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