EMA Bulacan Highlanders FC raring to go for 2024

Looking to build on the momentum that the club has achieved after a successful 2023 at the grassroots level, the EMA Bulacan Highlanders Football Club has revamped its grassroots program and is opening its doors to more and more people interested in playing the beautiful game.

2023 has been full of improvement for the Meycauayan-based club after being hampered for two years due to the pandemic. What started as a program to help the less fortunate kids around Sto. Niño, Meycauayan play football became the start of an ambition to build a footballing community not only in Meycauayan but all around Bulacan.

They slowly opened their doors to other kids through the club's football clinic where they conduct a beginner's training session every Sunday morning and only charge 1,000 pesos for an entire month's worth of training which also gives them access to the club's equipment and an opportunity to hone their skills alongside the mainstays of the club.

Fast forward to 2024, the club will have a new academy coach who has plenty of experience as a player at the collegiate level. Coach Mark Asuncion will spearhead HFC's football academy program to help the new players equip themselves with the skills and knowledge that they'll need to create an illustrious football career.

Asuncion graduated from the Far Eastern University where he was part of the championship squads in the UAAP Season 70 and 72 as well as a silver medalists' finish in Season 71. Growing up, football allowed him to be a better person and also gain a scholarship in college that helped him build a future for himself.

"I believe that allowing our kids to play the beautiful game not only allows them to enjoy but to also learn how they can be better members of society as football requires discipline and perseverance," said Asuncion.

The club, through their manager Kads Mejia, also announced that they'll be conducting open play sessions for those who want to get a feel of the field at the EMA Town Center and bond with other football enthusiasts around the area.

"We aim to transform Bulacan into a prominent football-playing province and elevate its recognition and reputation in the football community," said Mejia regarding the club's decision to open its doors to visiting players.

Unlike the usual open play sessions that are being conducted around the metro, HFC will only charge its players 25 pesos and the proceeds will go to the improvement of the club's equipment and facilities. Mejia said, "We wanted to keep the price as low as possible because, for one, it is just a humble field situated within the busy streets of Sto. Niño, Meycauayan, and two, football should be enjoyed without burning a hole in your pocket."

With these initiatives, the EMA Bulacan Highlanders FC is breaking the norms and is slowly making a name for itself by becoming a household name in Bulacan football. Truly, they are following their motto by heart which is, "BE DIFFERENT."