Filipinas legacy flourishes as Quezon City school sets up historic football camp

MANILA, Philippines – It was a scorching hot Tuesday afternoon on the grounds of St. Theresa’s College (STC) in Quezon City, where some 40 girls stood clad in football jerseys as another session of the school’s maiden women’s football program commenced.

Goal posts were set up in a makeshift nine-a-side field on the bumpy grade school lawn as kids from first to sixth grade eagerly waited for the barking orders of their coaches.

For anyone on the outside looking in, it wasn’t too special of a sight. But for those aware of the story behind it all, seeing the girls running back and forth dribbling a football was something to behold.

In the school’s lengthy history, since its founding in 1947, there hasn’t been a women’s football program for their students — that is, until the Philippine women’s national football team won the 2022 AFF Women’s Championship on home soil.

STC QC parent Karl Tan, along with his daughter Zia, had been in the stands of the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila when the Filipinas made history — bringing home the Philippines’ first-ever championship in football, whether for men’s or women’s.

Inspired by the team’s feat, the gears began turning in Karl’s head as he planted the seeds of what would become STC QC’s first-ever women’s football team — The STC Golden Zebras.

Shortly after the Filipinas won the championship in July 2022, Karl helped organize a parenting seminar centered on football, an idea the school welcomed.

Coach Aris Caslib facilitated the talk through Karl and was well-received by the parents, who were quick to subscribe to what Karl and Coach Aris were saying. Not long after, school directress Maria Bayle approached Karl to ask him about potentially setting up a football program in the school.

After months of seeking approval on his concept for the program, the wheels finally turned around summer of last year.

Under the tutelage of Coach Roxy Dorlas, along with his assistants Matt Parris, Joem Logarta, Jing Jambre, Gill Birdi, Christian Schaffner and Paolo Javier, the Golden Zebras were on the move.

Knowing that it was a first-time thing, Karl admitted that there were some doubts in his mind on what it would look like on opening