4th ACOSTA CUP held

What do Jollibee, the Office of Councilor Acosta and football have in common?

Nothing. Except a day stuffed with truckloads of fun and nonstop ball-kicking.

Last Saturday, November 10, 2007, the Tionko Football Field (formerly Agro Grounds) was filled with girls of all ages as the 4^th Acosta Cup Ladies Football Tournament was kicked off. About 100 girls showed their skills and boundless energy as they vie for the championship titles in the elementary and high school divisions of the tournament sponsored by the Office of Councilor Mabel Sunga Acosta and Jollibee Corp., and organized by the Davao Football Association (DFA).

In the Elementary Division, the SOS Children’s Village clinched the title, with the Muslim Children Girls Team (represented by students from Zonta Elementary School) and Holy Child School of Davao coming in second and third, respectively. The other participating schools were Kapt. Tomas Monteverde Sr. Central Elementary School, and Gasco Elementary School which fielded two teams despite the fact that it was their first time to join in any competition organized by DFA.

Not to be outdone by their elementary counterparts, the highschoolers of SOS Children’s Village outplayed three other teams to bag the championship in the High School Division. Coming as 1^st runner up was Holy Child School of Davao and 2^nd runner up was Stallions, a team composed of Philippine Women’s College students. The Mabini Football Club, hailing from Compostela Valley, came in fourth place.

The event was attended by Mr. Andy Rara of ABS-CBN Davao, who is himself a former football player, the children (RV, Monique, and Angelique), mother (former Schools Division Supt. Benilda J. Sunga) and staff of Councilor Mabel, and the ever lovable Jollibee mascot.

The Ladies Open category of the tournament is slated to begin on November 17 to December 15, every Saturday, 5 to 8pm in Tionko Football Field. The five teams who will be competing are: University of the Philippines Mindanao, Holy Child of Davao, D’ Davao Survivors, Philippine Women’s College-SOS, and ADDU-Southpoint.

First launched on November 29, 2004, the Acosta Cup is envisioned to discover young women players, be a breeding ground for representatives to the Davao team in regional and national competitions, and be the premiere women's league competition in Davao City.