Pascual, Sacapano to establish goalkeeper school in Cebu

(This story by Cheska Geli came out in Sun.Star Cebu on Dec. 13)

 CEBUANO goalkeeper Paolo Pascual�s 11-month experience of being in the national team is a blessing the Cebuano football star is most thankful for.

As a way of giving back, the young keeper now plans to put up a Goal keeping Academy in Cebu with fellow goalie Eduard Sacapano.

"We�ve planned this for a long time and when I told Eduard about it, he was very excited about the plan," said Pascual.

The course will be open to all�grassroots and elite players�and will be launched tentatively after the AFC Challenge Cup.

After making it to the national team in time for his 20th birthday, Pascual has had the opportunity to play against the best players in the country.  He was also able to train in Japan, Bahrain and made the Southeast Asian Games team.

Pascual said he wants to pass it to the younger ones.

Pascual is in Cebu for a five-day break and visited his former school Paref Springdale yesterday, where he conducted a clinic for 30 kids.

Meanwhile, beginners and some members of the Paref Springdale Fooball Club in the Boys 12 and Boys 14 got excited when Pascual arrived along with teammates Chieffy Caligdong and Ian Araneta.

Pascual shared his secret of making it in the national team and in the United Football League--training hard, practicing more and following your coach always.

"I've been there before. I used to complain when the trainings were hard, but now I realize that they are for our own good," said Pascual.

Pascual said he gained confidence in his last four games in the United Football League, where he impressed his coach with impressive saves.

"It feels good to know my hard work is paying off. It was a good way to end the UFL," said Pascual, whose team beat Kaya FC for third place in the UFL.