I recently went to Guilang Guilang Manolo Fortich Bukidnon for an amateur boxing competition last week and this reminded me of our game last year. It's been a while and I think I was not able to make a post about it in Hive. Hoping to post my recent travel soon.
I love boxing and it had been my life during my younger years but things changed when I got to college, joined the cheerleading dance for a scholarship, and was sent to Manila due to some reasons. I went back home, played again and got married and I am lucky to still be connected to the game I love, but not only that, to basketball too.
One of the best part of going to tournaments are exploring new places, going back to old familiar places, meeting old friends and catching up with them
The boys came to my house at 6 in the morning told them to go ahead on the municipal gym where the ride waits.. Lingion is a few minutes away so I asked them to leave me and Niko behind and we would catch up.
The road is empty when we got past the centro of Lingion. But I was amazed that after many years of not coming to their place, the road is not concreted making it easy for us to travel and for the locals too. Also, the sight of having green and lush surrounding is lovely to my eyes.Green and Blue go so well too.
Niko and me on my motorcycle going to the venue. Others hitched on the SKW Truck that carried the boxing ring and some boxers had supportive parents that went with them to the game.
As soon as we arrived, we started the weigh in; I facilitated and did the match on the players based on their accomplishments and weight. I was the youngest on our team so the oldies relies on me to do most of the things that need to be done. Some kids that are not satisfied with their previous fights asked for rematch and was given to them.
After the weigh in, we decided to have a little adventure and visited a small cave while we waited for lunch. It was pitch dark inside and our voice echoed, one of the kids took my phone to use the flash light and took a funny picture of me. Yet we did not went further where we could not stand because we might get lost, get our clothes dirty and just avoiding danger.
After lunch, the boxing ring was set and the kids were all excited to fight. Lunch were provided for us too.
Everyone was very excited and honestly, ai did not know where people came from. The venue was full and people of different faces rounded in not only to watch but also to bet on their players
Everytime the game starts, people would shout blue! Blue! Blue! While some shout red! Red!red! And once they found a match, they would wait for the game to end and whoever the loser would pay l
During the game, I either judge or referee and I asked the boys to video their team mate's game for me. Most often, they are the ones who take pictures for me too.
The reward? Free access to my phone's games. Sometimes, they would tell my wife the game is not yet over when I am still busy. Then we go home together; and their NM parents would meet them at my house for them to go home.
Every game is exciting; some games are funny too! But every tournament is worth remembering. Whenever there is one, we often go home at 10-12 in the evening which makes the travel more adventurous. That's why I take more precautions when driving and thankfully, God guides is always in our ways.
As a remembrance we took our chance taking photographs with other facilitators and the final game player for the tournament because we never know they may go pro one day.