Team Bakukang, Negros Oriental’s only flag football team battled the country’s goliaths to emerge in third place in the just-concluded Philippine National Flag Football Championships hosted by Cebu City’s Cebu Flag Football League (CFFL) from April 4-6.
Flag Football is a version of Amercian football, also called as “tackle football.” The game is played not by tackling players but by removing a flag from the other player.
“The newbies composing team Bakukang only started to join the sport for a few months so this tournament was a real surprise,” said player Paul Benzi Florendo. “It was a tough game knowing we were facing the giants from different islands. Most of the other team’s players were 3 times our size and were also older than us and who have had years of flag football experience under their belts.”
Raoul Andre S. Tatel, the team captain of Team Bakukang, said many of his players suffered from minor scratches, bruises, and injuries, but persisted to win a place at the championships. “Despite the grief of some losses and discouragements, our team had the will to push for one more fight to go home with pride knowing we tried our best and have brought a trophy with us.”
Tatel said flag football is is a game of strategy, skill and teamwork. “This game isn’t for the weak,” he said.
It was a real test of strength under the intense heat of the sun. “We gave our sweat, blood and tears, and we made it!” Tatel said, adding that their opponents will surely remember the Dumaguete team and how they snatched (daguit) the trophy from the other teams.
The next game of the Philippine National Flag Football will be played here in Dumaguete during the Buglasan Festival in October.
