More or Lex: Striking Home with Lexter Maravilla

A former spokesperson in Rio for the Filipino homeless and defender for the 2010 Homeless World Cup, Lexter Maravilla has gone global even before he joined Global FC. His globetrotting skills have earned him mastery of the Luzon terrain, but it was the Rio conquest that got him inside “Bahay ni Kuya.” Despite being a late bloomer in the football field, Lexter proves how sipag, tiyaga and his love for bananas got him to skillfully wield a drilling press, gain a spot on the pitch and earn himself a ticket to Brazil.

 

Looking Back at Lucban

With his near makatang (“poetic”) Tagalog, Global FC Defender Lexter Maravilla marveled us with his Balagtas-worthy sentence construction. Born and raised in Lucban, Quezon, center of Southern Luzon and Pahiyas, how could he not daunt us with his mastery of the local lingo?  Speaking to us with words like pakikitungo, nakaraan, nagtatag, and pananaw, now we know what proper Tagalog is!

Lexter earned his degree in welding from the Southern Luzon State University—finally rendering him a protégé blacksmith aside from the local linguist. Too bad we forgot ask him to translate “Metallurgy” to Filipino. That would really make life a lot easier for mankind.

 If you think Lucban is known only for its Longganisa, it is worth knowing that the province happens to be a center not only for gastronomic adventure but for football development as well.

“Kami ang nagtatag ng Quezon United Football Club,” proudly narrates the local hero.

The Quezon United Football Club was founded during Lexter’s time, his status of chairman has yet to be verified, but during the Annual Meeting we will attempt to nominate him as Punong Tagapagsalita ("Official Spokesperson") if the voting majority will hear us. The club is comprised of young boys and girls from the locale who have the passion for football, making Quezon our next favorite province.

 Homeless yet Fear-lex

After college, Lexter worked at Concepcion-Carrier Air Conditioning Company in Cabuyao, Laguna for six months and later worked at Hoya Glass Disk Philippines Inc. in Sta. Rosa, Laguna for eleven months. He eventually cast aside the machinery for volunteer work at Ecoworks Philippines in Polillo Island, Quezon. The NGO covers various areas for development such as feeding and biochemicals but it was the football program that caught Lexter’s goggles-free attention. One thing led to another and with side stories involving Ultra and tubang balayan, the end result was worth the wait: being selected to be a part of the Homeless World Cup (HWC).

 

It is rare to chance upon a member of the Homeless World Cup—Team Philippines, as the group is limited to a selection of only 8 players a year. With quite a tight screening process that involves numerous try-outs (Lex underwent 5 or 6) and unbelievably tough background criteria (if you are not at the very least vulnerably housed or an internally displaced refugee, take a hike) this makes every batch a formidable representation for Team Philippines.

 

HWC aims to alleviate poverty and improve the lives of the Filipino youth by providing a pedestal to boost their potential career in the area of football. It was through the arduous training programs in HWC that Lexter was exposed to the technicalities of football, where formations and strategies do exist, apart from the objective of just scoring a goal.

Here, Lexter didn’t only get the chance to finally know football, he also carved a path to his future.

 

Lexter Maravilla (Defender), along with his brother Mark (Goalkeeper), was one of the chosen few to join Team Philippines in 2010, and that wasn’t the only amazing part of it. Their destination was Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, the venue of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Ole!

 

A World Cup in Brazil signaled the rise of a challenge, but better yet, this symbolized the ascent from poverty, turning to the course to would be a bright future for Lexter. His team might have lost to Brazil, Chile, and Italy, but won against teams like Germany, South Korea, Norway, Argentina and Finland. The Philippines became the champions of their group, ended at 25^th place out of 64 countries and won the Host Cup Trophy (4^th trophy) after beating Norway.

Arriba, Brazil

Of course, we still cannot help the fact that Lexter did get to visit Rio, so that ought to be crossed off his tabo list, next to Capoeira tryouts.

While it is a given that visiting South America would be an exciting adventure, this experience was further enhanced by the company of his team, a smorgasbord of local talent. Bonding as a batch even before they set foot in Brazil, what was formed was not only a group of futboleros but a solid team and a newfound brotherhood. For the members, especially the orphans and less privileged—which are main criteria factors in joining HWC—this experience meant a lot, if not the “world” to them.

 

Despite having met the team for three months only, the values they shared and the hardships they battled brought them closer and made them even stronger.

“Natutunan ko talaga ang pakikitungo, kasi galing sa iba’t ibang lugar sa Pilipinas yung mga kasama ko. may Bisaya, may Tagalog,” describes Lexter of his team.

 

 

Upon their return to Manila, the group was well received by the press—to the point of even invited as guest stars to local show Pinoy Big Brother (PBB).

 

 

This global opportunity led Lexter’s hermano, Mark, to the path of becoming assistant coach to the HWC and later on Head Coach for this year’s Mexico game. Another “Ole!” for the older Maravilla.

 

As for Lexter, it was time to move from being a housemate to a real ‘mate.

Una Kaya!

One of the founders of Kaya Football Club (Kaya FC), Coach Rudy Del Rosario, invited Lexter to try out for Kaya FC. Four members of the HWC were recruited by Kaya in 2010, and Lexter was the lucky defender.

 

 

In January 2012, he attended the try-out for Global FC, acting upon someone’s prudent suggestion. With his skill and meaningful purpose in life, Lexter was, of course, accepted as defender and to this day maintains the same position for the team.

 

Global FC proves to be a welcoming environment to Lexter with the Elhabibs as his new bros, Juani being another kind hermano, and recently acquired Jeffrey Christians as a potential doppelganger. The team’s diverse yet family-like culture offers a quaint new home to Lexter—but whether it’s sweet, Lexter isn’t saying.

Global FC

From observing Kuya Bads and Izo’s sibling schemes to hitting it off with frequent roommate Valentine, Global FC’s hodgepodge of characters can certainly be a handful for someone who started out his football career with the homogenous homeless in Brazil. Lexter, though, loves every moment of it—the unity, crazy moments, the toughness of the training sessions—and considers all these nothing but a blessing, a sign of life’s upliftment.

 

 

Each day brings Lexter closer to his dream of success and financial stability. He values the guidance and experiences gained from practice and continues to improve his skills by training with the HWC whenever he has free time.

“Hindi naman ako mahilig mag-mall. Mas gusto ko pang maglinis ng bahay,” says Lexter when asked about how he spends his free time.

Simple, hard working and a rarity for someone who doesn’t complain about household chores—this makes him the guy no one could ever complain about!

 

When asked about his memorable experiences with Global FC, thoughts of slipping on banana peels or banana eating contests (the guy loves bananas, okay?) came to mind but his was the most enriching answer of all: when Global FC was hailed the champion last season.

That, and how the “good quality training” has bettered his playing performance. Imagine Lexter starting out football at 17 years old, and now at 25 years old, Global FC Defender. This isn’t only a story of mere success and poverty alleviation; Lexter lives up to the Homeless World Cup solution, championing his cause and being a catalyst to change the course of his life.

Less is More

Lexter’s life has not been the most comfortable and neither has his childhood been a walk in the park. During his high school days, he did some construction work and farming at the “bukid” with his grandfather. At a young age he already battled with life’s challenges and emerged as a victor. With his skill and perseverance, he learned football and learned to play it well.

 

Life gave him a chance to put this talent to good use, and this brought him from Pollilo Island to Brazil and today, with Global FC. Lexter doesn’t only exemplify the model of a good player or rags-to-riches story that everyday plagues the media. His past experiences led him to yearn for a better life and he never let every chance get by without trying. A go-getter and self-starter, he never stopped, never let the obstacles hinder his way to success. We have never met anyone with this desire to alleviate his family’s life from poverty, a character so persevering he’s done everything from welding to selling magazines and balut.

 

Lexter serves as an inspiration to the Filipino youth, as he exemplifies the values of the ideal athlete, student and worker. He holds the voice of the underprivileged, and he is the rarity whose voice stands out and is heard all the way from Rio.

Perhaps Lexter can attribute his traditional yet pleasant qualities to his roots—namely parents Luz and Jimmy—who have set the perfect Filipino parental style. Their rural simplicity led to determined and responsible children. The Maravillas prove that despite financial deficiency, a supportive family is all it takes to make life matter. To have that solid foundation is what enabled Lexter, along with equally strong siblings Mark and Joy, to pursue whichever dream they have, anywhere in the globe.

 

Being the local makata that he is, it’s best we leave the conclusion to him. He has all the qualifications being the spokesperson for the homeless in Rio, and well this is his story after all:

Maituturing kong pamilya ang Global FC. Sa pagsali ko sa Global, lubos na nadagdagan ang kaalaman ko sa football. Bukod dito, natutunan ko ring makitungo sa mga manlalaro na nanggaling pa sa iba’t ibang lugar at bansa.

Sa kabuuan, napakarami kong natutunan mula noong naging bahagi ako ng Global, at iyon ang pinaka-importante sa lahat. Sana, champion uli kami sa susunod na taon! - Lexter Maravilla

Lexterpedia

“Hey, Lex!” is not the best way to call out to Lexter unless you’re his bro or have been to Rio. Being the shy guy, it’s best to talk to him about life, football and all the simple things we’ve tried to extract from him. If geek is your middle name, then you might find it easier, if you start a conversation citing friction stud or boring head. If not, then don’t be a bore.

 

 

Follow J.Anne Gonzales on Twitter: @LazyBlack_Cat

 

Follow Miji Gonzales on Twitter: @mijigonzales

 

Hoshide's All That: Yu and the Rest of the Force

He’s fast, he’s skilled and though he’s outgrown reading manga we’ll still write one for him. Global FC midfielder and Healthway Agility Awardee of the United Football League (UFL) First Division Yu Hoshide’s story may not involve bionic powers or the Kamehameha but with adventures that hail from Tokyo to Trinidad and Tobago that involve short stunts with judo and a stolen freezer, this makes him a legit football hero with a hat. Ikuzo! (“Let’s go!”)

A Word with Yu

Yu Hoshide was born in Tokyo, was schooled in the traditional Japanese fashion and never really heard a Tagalog word until 2009. “Grabe!” as the present Yu would say.

Bringing bento for lunch, dabbling with the piano (“All my relatives from my dad’s side had to learn to play the piano” he tried to explain) and having kendo/judo classes as a kid, that’s pretty much how Yu-chan’s life passed by. The kendo classes were mandatory, and while Yu never got he chance to hit an actual person in real life, he made swooshing motions in the air to show us that, yes, he’s still got the flair. All right, Yu, we won’t take your iPhone.

Like most Japanese kids nowadays who want to be a professional athlete when they grow up, Yu decided to take that same path: “I’ve always wanted to be a professional football player!” He was five years old then and that ambition never faltered.

He was also five years old when he started attending the Takashi Madaira Soccer Club. Tokyo boasts of about a hundred (or was it a thousand?) soccer clubs, so we can just imagine the volume of activity and fanbase in our neighboring country. And that’s not considering baseball which is another popular sport in Japan.

“Why not baseball, Yu?”

“Noooo.. I really like football.”

 “Good to know. So do we.”  And we couldn’t imagine you in that baseball outfit.

In High School, Yu moved to the Mitsubishi Yowa Soccer Club, a much more prestigious organization for skilled players. We learned this because he “quantified” the application process. From a hundred to two hundred applicants they only select the chosen few for their team, and Yu was one of those. Sugoi!

College at the Meiji University brought him much closer to the football dream. Passing the football exam he became a full-fledged scholar, taking up Political Science. While he claims that Math and Japanese History were his favorite subjects, it’s rather obvious that Yu would ditch his books just to don a jersey.

Trinidad and Time-to-go

Yu’s been with quite a number of football clubs in various countries, it would be exhausting to go over each of them. With local highlights and exotic entertainment worth retelling, I’d say let’s run through this decade’s worth of stories in a jiffy.

2000–07, YKK AP (Kataller Toyama of the J.League): Yu played for several years in Japan before his quest to play for different football clubs in different countries or as I’d like to call it, his “world tour.”

 

2008, Harrisburg City Islanders (USA): Yu found the opportunity through the Internet and played for the club for one year.

 

2009, Northern Virginia Royals (USA): A friend of his introduced him to the club, but he only played for three months because Joe Public wanted to see him play and eventually signed him up.

2009–11, Joe Public (Trinidad and Tobago): His friend Fabien Lewis, who’s Trinidadian, helped him get into the club, which is one of the biggest clubs in the Caribbean and was owned by the former VP of FIFA. He played for Joe Public for one and half years.

 2011, Grecia Stone (Ecuador): His Japanese friend back in junior high used to play here and recruited Yu. Don’t bother asking him for Spanish expressions and foodie experiences. He only played for one month.

 

2011, Sporting Club de Goa (India): The club was looking for a central midfielder, but Yu only played for one and a half months.

 

2011–present Last but not the least Global FC (Philippines)

 

Asian Invasion

Before Global FC, Yu has never been to the Philippines and knew nothing about the Philippine time, traffic, the wonders of Pasay road and the kindhearted street children—all of which introduced themselves to him one at a time. Still, he’s gotten used to the weather, the people and muttering “Hay nako” in the same Pinoy despairing tone seems so natural, it makes us wonder who was late for practice this time.

One thing that was far from despairing though was how Yu ended up with Global FC. Yes, the internet was once again an ally in his movement, but this time, he’s got YouTube to thank.

“They watched my game on YouTube then asked me to go to the Philippines,” narrated Yu.

Next thing he knew, he was part of the team, commissioned as Captain and living in Magallanes.

Why the Philippines? Is it the beaches, the politics or just our warmhearted citizens that made Yu leave India and its blessed curry?

“I wanted to move to an Asian country so that I will be closer to my parents. When the tsunami hit Japan I was in T&T and never learned of it because there was no Internet. At least in Asia it would be easier to travel and visit them,” explained Yu.

 

Oh and he admits that the curry in India doesn’t compare to Japan’s “ka-ri.”

Rock and Gol.

For those who don’t follow Yu Hoshide on Twitter and are unfamiliar with his chill pill, his favorite hangout is Starbucks—which branch, we’re not telling. However, if someone hollers “Tall Caramel Machiatto for Yuuuuuu!” then expect the ever zen-like Yu to get that rate googly-eyed look. Perhaps this is the only moment in his life that he gets that manga expression, thanks to that green sun. Kampai!

 

Trying to give an enterprising tip to our good friend Yu, here’s an excerpt of our conversation:

J.Anne: Yu, you’re always at Starbucks, they should make you their endorser.

Miji: Yeah!! So you could get a free venti Caramel Machiatto all the time.

Yu: What’s that word you used?

J: Endorse?

Y: En-..?!?!?!

M: EN-DORSE!

Y: What’s that mean?

J: Looks at Miji mouthing “help him!”

M: Endorse. You know, endorse. Like promote.

J: Like you tweet and tell people you’re at Starbucks so they give you free drinks in return.

Y: How do you spell that? (typing on his phone dictionary)

M: E-N-D-O-R-S-E

Y: Reads…

J: Or we can just skip to the next topic.

Y: Ah. Ahhhhhhh! (Finding the translation, understanding the translation or just checking someone’s Tweet?)

M: Hay nakoooo, you did get it, right?

Hay nako, Yu

Speaking of endorsements, Yu is a master in this field since he does promote a Japanese brand (or is it Brazilian, heeeelp) of clothing named Gol., which is why we considered him the perfect ambassador of the Caramel Machiatto. Imagine Yu Hoshide, swift, sporty and savvy, the perfect guy to represent Gol. Even in his stint in the Philippines, Yu still carries the Gol image, which inspires that worldwide brand recognition from Global FC’s midfielder.

 

When not in his customary Global FC jersey, Yu parades around in his Gol. Shirt and/or cap. Aside from being a football superstar, we’ve got a fashion icon as well.

And now’s the time to say, “Ahhhh…” Grabe!

Yu and What Army

Yu lost his iPhone recently to a band of street kids who blatantly took it from him and ran off before Yu could tweet about it. Using judo was not a top of mind reaction in a place like Manila, and he certainly hadn’t thought of giving them a bicycle kick—so this experience, he says, ought to be charged as a donation. How kind of Yu to let this Manila initiation pass by easily.

But that’s not the highlight of his Manila stay.

“I’m renting this car and it’s brand new and color white. One day while I was driving, a girl just went in and told me her destination,” Yu narrated this hilarious story.

 

“I said, ‘no taxi!’ and she was surprised and sorry and just left,” he said with so much amusement. At least now Yu can consider an alternative business, but, of course, he’d have to consult Misagh Transportation Company first. We wouldn’t want Misagh to think Yu’s getting all cute or the red cards might start pouring from the bleachers.

A Piece of Yu

Despite this so-called Asian Invasion, Yu does miss home, particularly his family, friends and Japanese food.

While Sushi remains to be his all-time favorite food, yakiniku and banana cue rank next in his list. At least banana cue, a local dish, albeit being street food (Manang’s Special), has found a special spot in his discriminating palate.

 

What does not deserve special honors is the dreaded Filipino time, which Yu has the misfortune of coming across all the time.

“When people say training starts at 9 a.m., they should be there by 8 a.m. but here in the Philippines, people arrive at 9:30 a.m.!” Yu still in disbelief at how we Filipinos have a knack for delaying time.

As for Yu, 8 a.m. it is. Maybe this would give him ample time to finish that grande caramel machiatto or find the opportunity to revive his judo skills so that he can deliver killer scissor kicks on the pitch.

Yu names Jerry Barbaso and David Basa as his close friends. Befuddled by this choice, we asked the obvious (Is it because Jerry looks Japanese or is it because David is quiet like you?) but got no straight answer. Whatever it is, at least Yu’s found oniichans in the team to torment or tutor, whatever the case may be.

 

Yu claims that he can cook a mean okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake), complete with the animated flipping gestures that is so Cooking Master Boy. Of course, we never got to verify that as well. But so long as we’ve not heard of recent kitchen fires, then at least we can say that, well, Yu’s a responsible cook.

Catch Yu Later

Among the Global FC players, Yu is certainly one of the seasoned players, having participated in clubs outside Asia and played in games all over the world.

“I’ve been in 10 or 20 countries, just to play football,” claims Yu.

He’s lived in other continents, and while he hasn’t mastered the local lingo (which would’ve been a lot of help trying to translate Angel Guirado’s speedy Spanish that only de Murga can catch up with) his exposure and experience definitely elevate him to the level of Yu-San. The younger players look up to him for his on-field wisdom while training coaches can rely on him for support and guidance.

Once could attest to Yu’s veteran playing skills with his graceful and well-thought-of touches and passes and, of course, his agility. In fact, during the awarding ceremony of this season’s UFL, Yu Hoshide was named the Healthway Agility Player of the season. Guess we’re not the only ones impressed by Yu’s on-site activity and swift and accurate delivery of beautiful passes.

With the depth of his experience, his movements appear as second nature, creating a sense of instinctive action. Hopefully he can pass on this acumen to the younger ones, especially as they start training for the UFL Cup in October.

May the Force be with Yu

Yu is not the only one to brag of an award for the 2011–2012 Season of the UFL. For those who have been living underground for the past few days or are just away from the football radar, Global FC has been hailed as the Champion for this season, besting other strong teams like first runner up Kaya FC and Loyola Meralco Sparks FC.

 

In the last match against Loyola Meralco Sparks FC last June 26 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, the game ended with a draw and sealed the championship for Global FC—which already was leading in the points race. With fans energetic and the Global Force screaming their endless battle cheer, Global FC finally scored its year-long goal: To be the #1 team! Yu was named Healthway Agility Awardee, #14 Carlie de Murga was Most Valuable Player Awardee and Global FC also bagged the Fair Play Award.

 

Like we said, if we could perhaps add another award, it would be the Best Cheering Squad/Group—and hands down, we’d bestow the prize to the Global Force. Enthusiastic, battle ready, spontaneous, interactive and witty, their cheers have more impact than an LSS (last song syndrome).

Yu Bet!

If you happen to see Yu gallivanting around the malls or coffee shops, don’t think of bowing just to get his attention. Chances are passers by might think that you’re falling asleep on your toes. A whiff of coffee might help, or the old reliable, “Konnichiwa!” But remember, Yu-san’s the quiet type so blurting out “Kawaiii!!” will be met with a run. Instead, engage in sensible conversation and don’t fret, he’s got a dictionary at hand.

 

 Follow Yu Hoshide on Twitter: @yuhoshide

Follow J.Anne Gonzales on Twitter: @LazyBlack_Cat

Follow Miji Gonzales on Twitter: @mijigonzales

Jerry’d Away: Going Global with Jerry Barbaso

First time football viewers will probably remember him for his hip ponytail, while old-time fans may refer to him as Global FC’s prized defender. Well, enough with the labels and vague name-calling. Our latest footballer feature goes by the name of Jerry Barbaso, Global FC defender #63, and if you’ve got qualms about that, talk to the hair.

 

Run, Jerry, Run

Born in the Orchid City (that’s Dipolog in Zamboanga del Norte for those who slept through Sibika class), twenty-four-year-old Jerry Barbaso grew up shooting hoops, belting Step Up-worthy dance moves and speaking perfect Cebuano. It was only at 13 years old that he first met the acquaintance of the soccer ball and decided, “Football it is!” Yes, he is that kind of guy, cheerily decisive.  Kicking became the new dribbling, and he started out as a right winger.

Of course, that didn’t stop him from his other activities, like track and field, basketball, and dancing. If you watch him closely on the pitch, or ask him real nice, he might give a spin or two. Oh, did we mention that he did gymnastics too as a kid? Makes us wonder what kind of fish diet they serve in Dipolog.

Going back to business; football only appeared in Jerry’s sporting radar at age 13, when this was introduced to him by Coach Reginald Jukes, father of former Laos FC teammate Reginald Jukes Jr. This was the moment in Jerry’s life when he was asked what position he plays, and with the Coach’s accent, Jerry immediately blurted out “Defender!” And so Jerry began his official role on the defense. Weekends meant practicing with the team and foregoing that basketball he’s gotten to love.

Earning a scholarship from his football skills, Jerry was able to take up Management Accounting at Dipolog Medical Center College Foundation.  Juggling balance sheets and balls couldn’t be that bad, especially when his school’s team received victories, giving Jerry the necessary field exposure and experience.

Jerry cites that despite starting late in the game, all it takes is practice and more practice to get into the zone. And running. If babies were born crying—Jerry must’ve been the exception—as he might have been born treading.

Win or Laos

For those who are not quite familiar with Jerry’s football history, he made his debut as an official football figure at Laos FC in 2009.

However, landing a spot in the said team was a combination of an accident, sheer luck and good ol’ friends. Jerry was only staying at his Aunt’s place in Cavite after a university-related game (he was still a senior), found friends playing for Laos FC, joined some training sessions and finally found himself defending for the team in one game. After this whirlwind pitch-crashing turned success story, Jerry finally joined the team, officially, in June.

Now back track a little; let’s not forget about school. Before you start conjuring ideas of Jerry, the Hippie Dropout, don’t let the hair deceive you. This is a success story, and to continue, Jerry Boy also graduated from college that year, and if luck wasn’t with him, brought him to the employ of APT as an accounting assistant in August 2009.

A job and a football career both on track, what more can this young man hope for? Well, a lot more, it seems.

Proud to be Global

Still in 2009 Laos FC wanted to join the UFL, and to cut the long story short, Global FC was born with Jerry as one of the pioneer players in Division 2. Playing as a defender and aiding the team with his strengths in speed and tackling, Jerry was instrumental in Global FC’s growth and newfound prominence. In the 2009–2010 UFL Season, Global FC was crowned the champions and he was hailed as the MVP for Division 2, while his counterpart for Division 1 was Ian Araneta.

Proving itself competent, capable and Above All, Global FC was eventually promoted to Division 1, and the rest is history.

Jerry carries the number 63 in his jersey—not for mathematical or residential reasons—but somehow, being an accountant has something to do with it. Everyone who works ought to know that the accountant is the most important human being during payroll time. Well back then, the go-to money guy was interestingly named Sixto, and next to him was Jerry. Anyone old enough to count should know what comes after Sixto, that’s 63! Get it?

If you didn’t get that, well too bad. Maybe Misagh can explain it to you better.

He may not look as tough as his favorite player Carles Puyol—except for the hair, I guess—but he can surely take care of his opponents skillfully and carefully before they can even get to the goal area. Preventing strikers or any player for that matter to find a chance to shoot or attempt to score is his default area of expertise. While he can outrun anyone back and forth as well, it is worth revealing that stamina, alertness, resiliency, and marking all play crucial roles in making him an excellent defender. He isn't a pushover!

It would not come as a surprise that “speed” is Jerry’s strength on the pitch. When he was in college, he decided to join the Milo Marathon (10k) and next thing he knew, he was awarded 2^nd place. His early inclination for track and field turned him into a super runner—and capitalizing on this attribute was largely instrumental to his success.

What he did with all that Milo though, he didn’t say.

Defending the Dog Pound

If you think going Global was Jerry’s biggest football stint, well, here’s more—getting to join the Philippine National Team or the Azkals. This was the time of the emergence of the team, the recruitment of players and the reign of Coach Des.

In 2010 was Jerry’s first International game, the Long Teng Cup in Taiwan. It wasn’t the fact that he was playing in a different country or feasting on authentic dimsum that excited him and inspired him to move forward.

“I was there on the pitch, singing the National Anthem and representing the country!” exclaims Jerry with Pinoy pride.

To wear the Philippine logo loud and proud, that should be every young Filipino’s dream, and Jerry Barbaso has done that. That’s one item off his bucket list.

Of course, after Taiwan came other opportunities. Becoming quite the Asian tourist, he’s been in the historical 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup, in the second leg of their 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualifying match against Mongolia, and in the 2011 SEA games. Jerry was also in Japan with the Azkals to conduct their high-altitude training to acclimatize to the Mongolian temperature when it was hit by the earthquake and tsunami, so we forgive him for not bringing home some green tea mochi. Daijyoubu! (It’s okay!)

For the Junior Azkals fans, Jerry must seem like a familiar face as well, having participated in the 2012 Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy in Brunei, where he was one of the 2 seniors allowed to accompany the U-21 players. Bonding with the juniors was easy, since Jerry isn’t that much older than them.

While the team’s experience in Brunei wasn’t the most exciting time of their football lives, the learnings were tremendous. Even as a “senior,” Jerry found exposure in a foreign-based game and also found potential among the young ones.

One, Two, Jerry

Jerry was raised mainly by his Mom, since his father passed away when he was 4 years old. Curiously enough, his father was named Jerry Sr., while he has another older brother who goes by Jerry Jr., leaving him as Jerry 1^st. There are still 2 other older brothers unaccounted for, but we are under the impression that Jerry isn’t their main name or this would certainly create confusion for their mom and mailman. Jerry (the Global FC player) is also lucky that Jerry Jr. doesn’t play football, or any coach is sure to get a mouthful of bewilderment with the Barbaso Bros. As if the Angeles Twins weren’t confounding enough!

Jerry was greatly inspired by his late father, a former military man, that he nearly took up Criminology in college. A crime fighting defender? Surely this would give him the authority to reprimand bad refereeing! And a red card in return!

Speaking of cards, Jerry proudly claims that hasn’t been given a yellow card for this UFL season. While prompted by others to get one, as if the elitist Yellow Card Gang recruits only the card carriers, Jerry insists that he could do his job just fine even without the slightest violation of human rights. A good reader of the game knows that you can actually play football in a safe and responsible manner (sometimes). You can anticipate your opponent's next move and position yourself well. And that’s Jerry the Crime Fighting Defender for you.

Jerry Up

Having been with the Laos and Global FC team for nearly 3 years now, Jerry has certainly found a second home. He has been through the transition and establishment of Global FC—only he remains from the original Laos FC—that if anyone would have the wealth of knowledge to write this piece of history, he’d be the best player resource.

Among the Global FC players, best buds from the team include Yu Hoshide, David Basa and former player William Gueridonn. Jerry looks up to Captain Hoshide not only as a friend but also as an advisor and confidante. Maybe Yu sees an oniichan in Jerry which is why he is fondly called “Jerry Boy.” On second thought most of the guys in the team call him that, so there’s no way of tracing who started that very original sounding moniker. However if you insist that it was Coach Graeme, I don’t think so.

Chieffy and Ian are some of Jerry’s Azkals mates, since they all stem back from the days of Coach Des.  None of these folks could’ve coined Jerry-Boy as well.

Jerry Bravo

Of course, a feature on Jerry Barbaso could not be put to a proper close without any mention of his hair (by the way, this is J.Anne, Miji’s brother, doing all the hair talk!). While describing it further may sound like a shampoo ad (long and curly, bouncy in a pony) Jerry considers this his prized feature but not to the point of calling it his Achilles Hair. He’s maintained such a ‘do since he joined the team, and only cut it short for his first job interview.

If we happen to cut it accidentally, he will not burn or wilt but might even thank us for saving him on shampoo costs. Because that’s the kind of guy Jerry Barbaso is, easygoing, cheerful, lighthearted and certainly light-footed.

Despite the seeming trials and challenges he’s been through in life, all he did was give a smile and look ahead. There were no problems that couldn’t be solved, no obstacles he couldn’t skip past. In fact the word problem doesn’t seem to exist in Jerry’s vocabulary, except to say, “No problem.”

Atta (Jerry) Boy!

Ready for a meet and greet with Jerry Bravo? Impress him with your Cebuano or ask him about tax recon. If both might seem difficult, do as Jerry would and never say never. Here’s a guide to get you to know Jerry Boy, no hair tips though.

Follow Jerry Barbaso on Twitter: @1yrrej

Follow J.Anne Gonzales on Twitter: @LazyBlack_Cat

Follow Miji Gonzales on Twitter: @mijigonzales