GFA Football 4 Schools program concludes regionals, Jamboree set for May 3

[March 25, 2025 – Harmon, Guam] Close to 500 elementary school students kicked off the Triple J Auto Group GFA Football 4 Schools program’s athletic component with a trio of regional tournaments completed this month ahead of the 2025 Jamboree event set for May 3 at the Guam Football Association National Training Center.

B.P. Carbullido Elementary School’s Sebastian Manibusan controls the ball in a match against Liguan Elementary School of the Triple J Auto Group GFA Football 4 Schools Regional Tournament at the Guam Football Association National Training Center Tuesday morning. A total of 25 schools are participating in this school year’s Football 4 Schools program and will converge at GFA May 3 for the year-ending Jamboree. Photo by Ashley Marques / GFA

“I’m just so thankful I made the team and I scored goals,” said Sebastian Manibusan, a third-grader at B.P. Carbullido Elementary School. “Overall, playing football is fun – I really just like hanging out with my friends, making good choices on the field, and good goals.

“I look forward to the Jamboree, seeing all the other schools, and playing games against them,” added Manibusan, who will be playing for the first time for the Ko’kos. Manibusan also plays for the Bank of Guam Strykers FC in the Triple J Auto Group Robbie Webber Youth League.

The regional tournaments kicked off Mar. 18 with eight schools: Astumbo Elementary School, Finegayan Elementary School, Guahan Academy Charter School, Machanaonao Elementary School, Marcial Sablan Elementary School, Merizo Martyrs Memorial School, M.U. Lujan Elementary School, and Talofofo Elementary School.

Nine schools took part on Mar. 20: Dominican Catholic School, Harvest Christian Academy, iLearn Academy Charter School, Inalahan Elementary School, Ordot-Chalan Pago Elementary School, St. Francis Catholic School, Tamuning Elementary School, Upi Elementary School, and Wettengel Elementary School.

Eight schools took part in the final regional event on Mar. 25: Adacao Elementary School, Agana Heights Elementary School, B.P. Carbullido Elementary School, C.L. Taitano Elementary School, D.L. Perez Elementary School, Liguan Elementary School, Maria Ulloa Elementary School, and St. Anthony Catholic School.

“The Football 4 Schools program is a great program – it gives the kids an opportunity to be part of something outside of class academics and in school, it gives them a sense of team and something to look forward to,” said Teresa Mendiola, a second-grade teacher and a coach with Adacao Elementary School. “Participating in the program helps the kids to build their self confidence and their respect for one another. Kids first coming into the program may not really talk to each other, but once they get on the team, it really builds that friendship among them and eventually with other kids from other schools.”

Each school team played in three matches during the regional tournaments held at the GFA National Training Center. All 25 schools will converge at GFA for the Triple J Auto Group GFA Football 4 Schools Jamboree May 3.

Teams from Adacao Elementary School and C.L. Taitano Elementary School play in the girls competition of the Triple J Auto Group GFA Football 4 Schools Regional Tournament at the Guam Football Association National Training Center Tuesday morning. A total of 25 schools are participating in this school year’s Football 4 Schools program and will converge at GFA May 3 for the year-ending Jamboree. Photo by Ashley Marques / GFA

“I really like playing football and playing for my school,” said Ameira Asuncion, a fifth-grader at Adacao Elementary School. “It brings us more confidence, we make a lot of friends, we learn about sportsmanship, and you know you’re just going to have fun on the field.

“In this regional, I really liked getting to challenge the different teams the most,” added Asuncion, who also plays for Dededo SC in the Triple J Auto Group Robbie Webber Youth League and has played the sport for about three years.

For Jack Larimer, a first-time coach in the Football 4 Schools program, his growing love for the sport that his son enjoys led him to stepping up and accepting a coaching role at B.P. Carbullido Elementary School.

“I am more of a spectator parent/coach because my son plays – but when the school needed another coach, I said, hey, I’ll go ahead and step in, and assist in coaching,” said Larimer, also a Special Education teacher at Carbullido. “It’s great to be part of this program – just seeing the smiles on the players’ faces, just seeing the development of their skills over time and them putting it into play on the field – it brings a smile to your face and gives you goosebumps.

“We just love this program for the kids – we haven’t had opportunities like this for the kids for quite a while, and now we have football and kickball for them in sports, it’s great. It’s an outlet for them to stay out of trouble, it teaches them responsibility, and many other life skills – the program as a whole is great for them,” Larimer added.

At the core of the Football 4 Schools program is a transformative vision: football serves not just as a game, but also a vehicle toward profound life lessons embedded within each play. The global program was launched by FIFA in collaboration with UNESCO, with the ambitious initiative targeting education, development, and empowerment of over 700 million children around the world.

In its inaugural year in Guam in 2022, 16 elementary schools participated in the program. The number of participating schools increased to 24 in 2023. That same year, GFA teamed up with Marvel Studios to feature Spider-Man and his “Say No to Bullying” campaign during school visits. Last year, the overall theme of the program was “Respetu” highlighting the importance of respect toward others and themselves.

This year, GFA, the Guam Police Department, Guam Airport Police, and Guam Youth National Team players will present “Be Safe: Protecting Your Digital World.” The speakers will address Internet safety to empower students with the knowledge and tools they need to navigate the digital world safely and responsibly. School visits will be scheduled the week of Apr. 7. Additionally, videos about the online safety campaign featuring GFA mascots Tasi and Tano are featured weekly across GFA’s social media platforms and on KUAM.

Participating schools received football equipment from GFA to help kickstart the new 2025 season for Football 4 Schools earlier in the year as well as access to the FIFA F4S app with sample coaching sessions and activities for youth players. The GFA Technical Department also conducted a special F4S coaching course for school coaches in January.

The 2025 program is supported by local business partners Triple J Auto Group, KUAM Communications and KUAM Sports, Pay-Less Community Foundation, LeoPalace Guam, IT&E, QuickBites, PFC Finance, and First Class Travel Agency.

For more information about the Football 4 Schools program, contact the GFA Football Events Department via Email at [email protected]