Aussie father-son duo gets Filipino Indigenous people involved with the community through football

In a country like the Philippines where basketball is popular, it's a gamble to persuade people to play a different sport like football. But there's no turning back for Luck Anthony Bedia to follow his father's footsteps - to play and inspire Filipinos to play football and learn the values of life through this sport.

Football could be the next big sports in the Philippines Source: Elmer Lacknet Bedia Football Academy

Inspired by his father Elmer Bedia who was named Philippines' Mr. Football, the young football advocate returned to his parents' hometown in Barotac Nuevo in Iloilo to continue to promote and help others discover football not just as a sport but to serve as a teacher of life's values.

Luck Anthony Bedia is the ambassador and Director for Grassroots Development with IHIP - Initiatives and Hearts for Indigenous People. The group works with Indigenous people to get them involved in the community by initiatives of sports, especially football.

"Football is a big thing in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo. The town is officially known as the Football Capital of the Philippines."

Luck Anthony "LA" Bedia (far right) before their football training in Iloilo. (Elmer Lacknet Bedia Football Academy) Source: Elmer Lacknet Bedia Football Academy

Bedia also works as the Youth Development Coach/Assistant Director at Elmer Lacknet Bedia Football Academy (ELBFA) which was founded by his father.

The young football player and ELBFA's coach dreams of "establishing a football school in the Philippines to provide youth with quality training programs to make them excel in football and hopes to see football in the Philippines grow as far as European football."

Players at the 1st IP Cup Football Festival organised by Initiatives and Hearts for Indigenous People (Supplied by LA Bedia) Source: Supplied by LA Bedia