From mounting electrifying concerts and bustling night markets to organizing ingenious arts and cultural events, Circuit Makati is a must-visit entertainment and culture center in Makati City. It’s a place where the city comes alive. But here's something you might not know: Circuit Makati is also home to various community sports programs that aim to uplift the youth and ignite their passion for sports.
Circuit Makati houses Blue Pitch, an artificial football turf where sports enthusiasts can play exciting football, rugby, baseball, and frisbee matches. It is also the venue of the Circuit Community Football Program, an initiative established in 2014 that aims to nurture young talents from Barangay Carmona, Makati City, and its adjacent barangays.
For years, the football program has offered free training through partner football clubs, Chelsea FC and Guiseppe FC. It helps provide accessible and high-quality training opportunities to the youth and gives them a chance to play in sports tournaments. What’s amazing is it also jumpstarted the transformative journeys of some of its trainees.
One story that stood out is that of Paolo Sumudlayon, who participated in Circuit Makati’s football program for four years. Though he first joined just for the sake of having an extracurricular activity, he gradually learned to love football. According to Sumudlayon, apart from teaching him the sport, the program also instilled in him the importance of discipline, respect, and teamwork.
Inspired by his experience and as a way to get back into sports, Sumudlayon took the opportunity to participate in the Nomads Youth “Learn to Play” Rugby Program Coach Training Workshop this 2023. The workshop was conducted by Manila Rugby Club Nomads in partnership with the Philippine Rugby Football Union and ChildFund Rugby. And it’s not just Sumudlayon who joined; many Circuit Community Football Program graduates did so as well.
Sumudlayon’s journey now comes full circle as he has taken on a new role in one of Circuit Makati’s community sports programs. The former football trainee is now the development officer of the Manila Nomads Youth Rugby Program. Some of his responsibilities include managing the coaches and facilitating their needs.
“As a product of the programs that Ayala Land granted to our community, I'm very happy that programs like this will continue for the next generations,” Sumudlayon said. “It truly helps to lift lives in terms of developing the mentality of the youth to become a better person and a leader who also contributes to the community.”
It's incredible to learn stories like these, in which young sports talents who were given opportunities to learn and grow are paying it forward by helping the next generation of athletes.
For their part, Circuit Makati and its property developer Ayala Land, Inc. remain committed to giving back to the community through sports programs, summer workshops, and other opportunities for the youth’s growth and development. These programs are made possible with the support of Barangay Carmona, the host barangay of Circuit Makati.
Learn more about Ayala Land, Inc. by following its Facebook page. Find out what’s happening at Circuit Makati through Facebook.
