How GRLLIS Football Club turned a public school dream into a grassroots movement in Angeles City.
On a cracked public school field in Sapalibutad, the grass doesn’t always grow evenly. The goals are sometimes improvised. The jerseys don’t always match.
But the dreams? They are perfectly aligned.
Every Friday and Saturday afternoon, when most teenagers scroll through screens or head to basketball courts, a different sound echoes across the campus of Gov. Rafael L. Lazatin Integrated School — the steady rhythm of boots striking a ball, the short whistle of correction, the unified shout:
“Kickerz On Goal!”
This is the story of GRLLIS Football Club — a grassroots movement built not on sponsorship banners or grand stadium lights, but on belief.
Where It Began: Before There Was a Club
Long before there was structure, there was curiosity.
In Grade 6, a young boy named John Miguel Quirimit and his classmates simply wanted to play. There were no formal drills. No tactical boards. No system. Just a ball, a patch of space, and the joy of chasing something that felt bigger than themselves.
Then came 2013.
A MAPEH teacher saw more than boys running after a ball; he saw potential. For the first time, the team received real guidance and entered the Angeles City Public High Meet. They were unknowns. First-timers. Underdogs.
They walked away with silver.
For many programs, silver is a footnote. For them, it was ignition.
In 2014, they returned and captured gold.
But like many public school teams, graduation scattered the original squad. The momentum paused. The field grew quiet.
Until football came home again.
The Teacher Who Refused to Let the Game Die
Years later, John Miguel Quirimit returned, not as a student, but as a DepEd Teacher I.
The boy who once played for love now carried responsibility.
Rather than letting football remain a nostalgic memory, he rebuilt it. In 2014, GRLLIS Football Club was formally re-established, named proudly after the school it represents.
But this time, the vision was different.
This wasn’t about one golden batch.
This was about sustainability.
This was about planting roots.
Grassroots, the Right Way
GRLLIS FC didn’t chase shortcuts. They chose fundamentals.
Their coaching philosophy is simple but powerful:
“Basic skills will lead you to awesome skills.”
And in an era where highlight reels often overshadow technique, this commitment to fundamentals is revolutionary.
The club now develops players across three age groups:
- 7–10 years old
- 11–13 years old
- 14–16 years old
Training is consistent; once to twice weekly in regular periods, increasing to four or five sessions during competition season. For a grassroots public school club with limited equipment, that level of consistency is not common.
It’s intentional.
Coach John blends his educator’s patience with a competitor’s hunger.
Discipline is taught alongside dribbling.
Respect alongside passing.
Accountability alongside finishing.
And importantly, girls train here too.
GRLLIS actively supports Girls’ and Women’s Football, ensuring opportunity does not depend on gender. In communities where girls’ sports still fight for visibility, this inclusion is more than progressive — it’s necessary.
Competing Without Excuses
Over the years, GRLLIS FC has steadily returned to competitive stages:
- Angeles City Public High Meet
- Angeles City Amateur Athletics Association (ACAA) Meets
Results speak not of dominance—but of resilience:
- 2013 Public High Meet – Silver
- 2014 Public High Meet – Gold
- 2014, 2024, 2025 ACAA – Bronze
For a club operating with limited manpower and minimal equipment, podium finishes are not small achievements. They are proof of process.
In a basketball-dominated country, every football medal earned at the grassroots level feels like a quiet rebellion.
And GRLLIS keeps rebelling, constructively.
Football as an Alternative Path
In Sapalibutad, football isn’t the popular choice.
Which is exactly why it matters.
GRLLIS offers a space for the kid who doesn’t fit into mainstream sports. The quiet student. The late bloomer. The girl who wants to compete. The boy who can’t afford club academies.
The message is clear:
You belong here.
Parents step in to help with logistics and equipment. The school backs competitions. Support from local government may still be limited — but the community’s collective effort keeps the ball rolling.
This is Filipino resilience in cleats.
The Challenges Ahead
Like many grassroots programs across the Philippines, GRLLIS FC faces real hurdles:
- Limited structured training resources
- Shortage of coaching manpower
- Insufficient equipment
But what they lack in materials, they compensate with mission.
And that mission is long-term.
Over the next three years, the club aims to:
- Expand tournament participation
- Strengthen training structure
- Increase player enrollment
- Elevate competitive performance
This isn’t about an overnight transformation. It’s about steady growth.
Culture: Fun. Fierce. Family.
Spend one session with GRLLIS FC, and you’ll see something rare: laughter and intensity living side by side.
Players joke during warm-ups, then switch to focus on small-sided games. Older players guide younger ones. Coaches correct firmly but constructively.
There is pride here, not loud, but grounded.
When they shout “Kickerz On Goal,” it isn’t just a chant.
It’s a declaration.
A Message to the Youth
Their advice to aspiring footballers is beautifully simple:
“If you want it, then do it. Kahit anong edad mo, as long as may passion diyan sa puso mo —continue.”
No promises of fame.
No illusions of instant success.
Just persistence.
And perhaps that honesty is what makes GRLLIS powerful.
Why GRLLIS Matters to Philippine Football
In the grand narrative of Philippine football, not every hero wears a national team jersey. Some wear school uniforms. Some teach MAPEH in the morning and coach in the afternoon.
GRLLIS Football Club proves something crucial:
Football growth in the Philippines will not be built by popularity alone. It will be built by teachers who refuse to quit. By parents who show up. By kids who choose football even when it’s not the trend.
It will be built one Friday afternoon at a time.
And somewhere in Angeles City, as the sun sets over Sapalibutad, a group of young players is still running drills.
Not because it’s glamorous.
But because they believe.
Kickerz On Goal.
OneFutbol Salute: Where Football Begins
At OneFutbol, we believe the future of Philippine football will not be built first in grand stadiums.
It will be built in public schools.
On uneven fields.
By teachers who stay after class.
By parents who sacrifice.
By children who choose football even when it is not a popular sport.
RLLIS Football Club represents exactly that spirit.
They remind us that grassroots football is not about resources — it is about responsibility. Not about popularity — but about persistence. Not about spotlight — but about service.
Coach John Miguel Quirimit did not wait for perfect conditions. He returned to where it all started and rebuilt the program from the ground up. That is leadership. That is legacy.
To every club across the Philippines operating with limited equipment, limited manpower, but unlimited heart — GRLLIS FC proves this:
You do not need a perfect field to build a powerful future.
You only need belief. Structure. And the courage to continue.
From Sapalibutad, Angeles City — your story matters.
And at OneFutbol, we see you.
Kickerz On Goal. The nation is growing — one grassroots club at a time.
Be Part of the GRLLIS Journey
GRLLIS Football Club continues to grow—not just as a team, but as a movement for grassroots football development. As a rising Philippine Football Club, its mission remains clear: to provide young athletes with opportunity, direction, and belief through the beautiful game.
For those who want to train, compete, or simply try football for the first time, GRLLIS FC welcomes you. The club is open to young players who are willing to learn and commit, regardless of experience.
Supporters, parents, and partners who believe in youth development through sport are also encouraged to connect. Whether through equipment donations, training support, or community collaboration, every contribution helps strengthen the program.
To join, support, or stay updated with GRLLIS Football Club, you may:
📩 Message their official Facebook page
📲 Follow them on social media for announcements and updates
📧 Email Coach John Miguel Quirimit directly at: johnmiguelquirimit@gmail.com
The next generation of footballers is already training. The next success story could start with you.
