D&Q Saipan turned over $15,000 to Northern Mariana Islands Football Association and Saipan Soccer School to show its continued support to the groups’ programs and activities.
NMIFA received the $10,000 donation from D&Q and Dove for the former’s women’s program, while the $5,000 was for the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium, which houses the SSS’s futsal pitch and basketball/volleyball courts at the TSL Sports Complex. D& Saipan resident manager Max Kretzers handed the donation to SSS executive director Merlie Tolentino, while D&Q Saipan regional sales manager Marilyn Marron turned in the $10K to NMIFA general secretary Ross Zapanta.
“This is a very big help to our women’s program, especially, this year, as we will be busy with a lot of off-island tournaments and two training camps, plus our ongoing Dove’s women’s football and futsal leagues,” Zapanta said.
NMIFA will be sending its U14 squad and women’s team to East Asian Football Federation-sanctioned competitions and its U16 and U19 groups to Asian Football Confederation-organized tournaments this year. The association will also have training camps in Guam and in the Philippines for its women’s players, who are currently seeing action in the Dove-sponsored football and futsal leagues.
Six teams are playing in the Dove football league with MP United leading the field with its 4-1-1 win-draw-loss record (standings as of April 4). Kanoa (3-2-1) is in second place, followed by Matansa (3-1-2), Kagman 2 (2-1-3), Kagman 1 (1-2-3), and Tan Holdings (0-3-3). Games are being played every Sunday at the Chacha Oceanview Middle School Field, while Williams S. Reyes Elementary School serves as the alternate venue.
In the futsal league, the Flyers are ahead with its 2-2-1 slate. The Blasters (2-1-1), Divas (2-1-2), Kickers (2-0-3), and Lady Birds (1-2-2) complete the field. Futsal games are slated every Friday at the TSL Sports Complex.
“We are getting good feedbacks from the women’s leagues that we are supporting and these make as happy and proud as we are making things happen for these players. There are good results and these are worthy of our support. We are still committed to the program next year and hopefully beyond that,” Kretzers said.
The $10,000 that Kretzers handed over to NMIFA was part of the $30K, three-year sponsorship deal it inked with the local football association’s women’s program.
The $5,000, on the other hand, was the third donation for the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium, which according to Tolentino will undergo repairs next month.
The flooring at the basketball court and the futsal pitch will be replaced, while ceilings will be repaired. The facilities sustained some damage from Typhoon Soudelor that struck Saipan in August last year.
“We are very grateful to D&Q Saipan for their continued support. Part of their donation will be used in the repairs of our facilities, which host tournaments participated in by members of our sports community. We will try our best to improve these facilities to better serve our athletes and the community,” Tolentino said.
This article was originally authored by Roselyn Monroyo of the Saipan Tribune and published on April 3rd, 2016. All rights, recognition and acknowledgment belong to the author and the Saipan Tribune.