Pacific Grassroots Festival win-win for football development in Marianas

[June 16, 2025 – Harmon, Guam] Southern Cobras SC and Kanoa FC both emerged as trophy winners in the U10 and U12 divisions, respectively, in the recently concluded 2025 Pacific Grassroots Football Festival at the Guam Football Association National Training Center.

“I’m speechless about how all this happened; I’m just so proud of my team,” said Kaivan Susuico from the Southern Cobras SC U10 team.

Southern Cobras SC blanked the visiting MP United team from Saipan 7-0 in the U10 division’s championship match and later Sunday afternoon, Kanoa FC from Saipan defeated Guam’s Dededo SC Gold in the U12 Division 4-0.

“With all the games over the weekend, it taught the players a lot about the importance of conditioning and being responsible on and off the pitch, but at the same time, it was fun for them,” said Blaine Dydasco, Southern Cobras SC U10 team Coach. “All the dedication and time to training – the kids put in all the work and they saw that it pays off in the end; but really, win or lose, it was a great experience for the kids. We support grassroots opportunities and the overall grassroots football movement in the Marianas.”

In addition to the Southern Cobras SC in the U10 Division, Guam’s teams also included ASC Trust Islanders FC, NAPA Rovers FC, NAPA Rovers FC Girls, Sidekick SC, Bank of Guam Strykers FC, and Tumon Typhoons FC. Visiting teams from the Northern Mariana Islands were MP United, Kanoa FC, Latte FC, Matansa FC, Paire FC, and Shirley’s FC.

In the U12 Division, Dededo SC was joined by ASC Trust Islanders FC, NAPA Rovers FC, Sidekick SC, Southern Cobras SC, Bank of Guam Strykers FC, and Wings FC as Guam’s entrants. Kanoa FC, Paire FC/Shirley’s FC, and Matansa FC were the entrants from the Northern Mariana Islands.

Over 125 players, parents, and coaches from Saipan arrived in Guam Thursday and Friday for the weekend tournament.

“This festival was extremely exciting – it was our first travel tournament,” said Doemiko Flores, Coach of visiting MP United U10 team. “We were just excited to play other teams than what we are used to, so this was a huge opportunity for the players. It was intense – we had the Saipan teams and then all the Guam teams in one tournament – we played a lot of matches schedule-wise, but overall, it was a great experience for us.”

MP United team captain Miriam Flores echoed the excitement of her coach.
“The festival was great because we had the chance to play against different teams that we’ve never played against before,” Miriam Flores said. “It was really fun to come to Guam and to go with my friends to play in the festival.”

Kanoa FC was the big winner in the U12 Division, competing in 11 matches over three days and winning the final match against Guam’s Dededo SC Gold 4-0.

“Coming to Guam, it was a big change in environment for the players – it was a big shift for them,” said Joe Antonio, coach of the visiting Kanoa FC U12 team. “For some of the kids, it was their first time traveling without their parents, so they had to make adjustments quick on their own. Despite the challenges, it was a blessing in disguise – they could see for themselves how much potential they have in them to succeed. In training, we push them to continue improving and after winning here, they could see that they can go even farther than what they thought.”

With the experience collected competing against teams from the Northern Mariana Islands, Dededo SC Gold team players also gained motivation to continue in their development.

“The festival was important for our players because it allowed them to see and experience different playing styles of football that they’re not used to with other Guam teams,” said Mark Enaje, Dededo SC Gold U12 team Coach. “Having more international festivals like this for the young players will help football in Guam progress. The experience will take us a long way, and I’m excited to see what’s in the future for the young players with more opportunities like this.”

Another winner at the festival were local clubs that created partnerships with clubs from Saipan, including the ASC Trust Islanders FC that signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Kanoa FC.

“This new sister club partnership means a lot to us,” said Jean Cepeda, President of the Islanders FC. “It’s about learning from each other, supporting our players and coaches, and building stronger connections across our islands.

“We’re grateful for the chance to be part of something bigger than ourselves. Events like this show that even though we live on different shores, we’re all part of the same football family,” Cepeda added.

During the festival, Guam Football Association President Valentino San Gil was among the daily supporters in attendance at the GFA National Training Center and also provided complimentary hot dog meals for lunch Sunday afternoon for all teams.

“We always enjoy welcoming our counterparts from the Northern Mariana Islands to Guam and collaborating on events to strengthen football development in the region,” San Gil said. “The Pacific Grassroots Football Festival is one of many of these events and look forward to upcoming ones here or in Saipan.”

Next for Guam’s young players is the Sengsong Summer Slam Village Futsal Tournament, slated to begin July 12. The futsal tournament, with teams representing villages in Guam, will feature competition in the U10 and U12 age divisions.

A full schedule is available online at https://guamfa.com/event/sengsong-summer-slam-village-futsal/