How a grassroots football club in Cebu is turning forgotten children into disciplined leaders —one training session, one dream, and one life at a time.
There are football clubs that measure success by the trophies they lift.
Then there are clubs that measure success by the lives they save.
Every weekend in Lawaan, Talisay City, Cebu, children lace up worn-out boots, step onto the pitch with dreams bigger than their circumstances, and discover that someone believes in them. Some arrive carrying burdens far heavier than football bags. Some come from homes where opportunities are scarce. Others simply need a place where they belong.
At Razkals United Football Club, they are not judged by where they came from.
They are embraced for who they can become.
For more than fifteen years, this grassroots football and futsal club has quietly proven one powerful truth: football is not merely a game — it is one of society’s greatest instruments for hope, healing, and transformation.
Where Football Becomes a Second Chance
Founded in 2010 by Coach Rhosner B. Bollozos and Coach Ronan A. Belleza, Razkals United FC was never created to become another football powerhouse.
It was created because two men believed too many young lives were being lost — not necessarily to violence, but to hopelessness.
They saw children vulnerable to substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, depression, and destructive influences. They understood that changing a community would require more than lectures.
It required belonging.
Football became that invitation.
Every training session became an opportunity to replace idle hours with purposeful ones, destructive habits with discipline, and uncertainty with dreams.
More than a decade later, hundreds of young lives have walked through that invitation.
Many have never looked back.
The Meaning Behind “Razkals”
At first glance, the club’s name surprises people.
Why would a football club proudly call itself Razkals?
The answer reveals the very soul of the organization.
Both founders spent part of their formation as seminarians under the Don Bosco tradition, inspired by the life and mission of Saint John Bosco.
Don Bosco devoted his life to reaching young people whom society had already labeled as “rascals” — children considered troublesome, difficult, or beyond saving.
He refused to see problems.
He saw potential.
He believed that with love, discipline, education, faith, and guidance, every child could become a responsible, compassionate, and productive member of society.
Razkals United FC carries that same conviction.
Its players are not defined by poverty, difficult circumstances, or mistakes.
They are defined by possibility.
Every child deserves someone willing to believe in them before they believe in themselves.
Football Without a Price Tag
Perhaps the club’s most remarkable achievement is something rarely found in modern sport.
Training is free.
In an era when organized football often comes with expensive fees, equipment costs, and travel expenses, Razkals United has deliberately removed financial barriers.
The message is simple:
Talent should never depend on a family’s income.
Children from underserved communities are welcomed regardless of their ability to pay.
This philosophy has opened doors for countless boys and girls who otherwise might never have experienced organized football.
Instead of asking, “Can you afford to play?”
Razkals United asks, “Are you willing to learn?”
That single difference has changed countless futures.
Building Human Beings Before Building Champions
The coaches understand that winning matches is temporary.
Building character lasts a lifetime.
Every Saturday and Sunday morning, players across the Under-10, Under-13, Under-16, and Open divisions train not only to improve technically, but to grow personally.
They sharpen ball control, passing, dribbling, finishing, tactical awareness, fitness, and decision-making.
But woven into every drill are lessons that statistics cannot measure:
Discipline.
Respect.
Responsibility.
Humility.
Perseverance.
Sportsmanship.
Before the first ball is kicked, the team prays together.
When training ends, they pray again.
For Razkals United, faith is not separate from football.
It is part of the foundation upon which every player grows.
Because while trophies eventually gather dust, character continues shaping lives long after the final whistle.
Small Resources. Big Dreams.
Like countless grassroots clubs across the Philippines, Razkals United operates without the luxury of abundant funding.
Tournament registrations are expensive.
Referee fees continue to rise.
Equipment is limited.
Permanent training facilities remain out of reach.
Yet every challenge has strengthened rather than weakened the club’s resolve.
Parents volunteer.
Community members lend support.
Coaches give countless hours beyond what anyone could ever compensate.
Their greatest investment has never been money.
It has always been people.
And that investment continues paying dividends every season.
Success Measured Beyond the Scoreboard
The club has certainly produced results.
Among its proud competitive achievements are:
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- 2015 Batang Pinoy Visayas Leg – Girls Under-15 Champions
- 2017 CVIRAA – Silver Medalists
- 2018 CVIRAA – Silver Medalists
- 2019 CVIRAA – Bronze Medalists
- 2025 PFF Filipina 5 Futsal – First Runner-up
- 2026 High5 National Championship – Bronze Medalists
But the achievements celebrated most passionately cannot be displayed inside a trophy cabinet.
One goalkeeper earned selection to the Philippine Under-15 Girls National Team under Coach Let Dimzon and helped the country secure a silver medal in the AFC U-15 Girls Championship.
Another former player reached the professional ranks through Taguig in the Philippines Football League.
Many others earned football and futsal scholarships that opened doors to college education — opportunities their families once believed impossible.
For Razkals United, those scholarships represent championships of another kind.
Because education changes not only one life.
It changes entire generations.
Football for Every Child
The club’s commitment extends beyond traditional football development.
Recognizing that every player has unique interests and abilities, Razkals United offers specialized programs in:
- Girls’ Football Development
- Women’s Football
- Goalkeeper Development
- Futsal
- School-Based Football Outreach
These initiatives continue expanding access to football while ensuring that more children — regardless of gender or background — can discover their place in the game.
It reflects a philosophy perfectly aligned with FIFA’s enduring belief: Football is for everyone.
A Family Built on Faith and Joy
Spend a morning with Razkals United and one thing becomes immediately clear.
This feels less like a club.
It feels like a family.
Players celebrate one another’s progress.
Older athletes encourage younger teammates.
Parents become partners in development.
Coaches become mentors for life.
Even without a permanent home ground, the club has built something more enduring than concrete facilities.
It has built belonging.
Its culture rests upon six enduring pillars:
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- Faith
- Respect
- Discipline
- Teamwork
- Hard Work
- Joy in Playing Football
Those values echo through the club’s simple yet profound motto: “Train for Life.”
Not merely train to win.
Not merely train to become better footballers.
Train for life.
Because life itself will demand resilience, courage, humility, and perseverance far beyond ninety minutes on a football pitch.
Looking Toward Tomorrow
Razkals United dreams of reaching even more underserved communities in the years ahead.
Its vision is not simply to produce stronger teams.
It is to change the way Filipinos see football and futsal.
The founders hope more schools, local governments, businesses, and private organizations will recognize grassroots football as a powerful investment in youth development — not merely another sporting activity.
Every new football provided.
Every scholarship created.
Every training ground opened.
Every child welcomed.
These are investments that ripple through families and entire communities.
A Message to Every Young Footballer
The coaches leave every aspiring player with a reminder that extends far beyond sport:
“Never give up on your dreams. No matter how many times you fall, what matters is how many times you rise, learn, and come back stronger.”
Because football, like life, does not reward those who never fail.
It rewards those who never stop getting back up.
OneFutbol Salute
Some clubs produce champions.
Some produce professionals.
Razkals United Football Club produces hope.
In a world where many young people are overlooked because of poverty or circumstance, Razkals United has spent more than fifteen years proving that potential is universal — even when opportunity is not. Through free football and futsal programs, faithful mentorship, and unwavering commitment to character formation, the club has transformed playing fields into classrooms of life, where discipline replaces despair, teamwork overcomes isolation, and dreams begin to feel attainable.
OneFutbol proudly salutes Razkals United Football Club for reminding the Philippine football community that the greatest victory is not always celebrated with medals or trophies. Sometimes, it is found in a child who chooses hope over hopelessness, purpose over distraction, and a brighter future because someone handed them a football and believed they could become more. That is the enduring power of grassroots football — and that is the legacy Razkals United continues to build, one life at a time.
Connect with Razkals United Football Club
Interested in supporting Razkals United Football Club, enrolling a young player, or learning more about its grassroots football and futsal programs?
OneFutbol encourages everyone to connect directly with the club to stay updated on training schedules, upcoming activities, tournaments, and community initiatives. Whether you’re a parent, aspiring player, volunteer, or potential sponsor, your support can help the club continue providing free football opportunities to children and youth in the community.
Official Facebook Page: RazKals United Football Club – Talisay City
Club Contact Person:
Ronan A. Belleza
📞 0917 321 0093
✉️ ronan.belleza@deped.gov.ph
Every player welcomed, every volunteer who gives their time, and every supporter who contributes—whether through equipment, facilities, sponsorship, or simply sharing the club’s mission—helps create more opportunities for young footballers to learn, grow, and build a brighter future through sport.
