A warm welcome to the 16th SFBC Basketball Tournament! It is truly an understatement to write how unpredictable everything was in the past two years. With that said, I am truly grateful for the gift of life and good health that we are all here today, able to gather together once again after so long. During the past few months, I have seen how little by little, teams started training again, reigniting their bond and reuniting the small families that were formed and built throughout the years. It is with great joy to see today the lasting friendships that have been made not only here in Switzerland but as well as in its neighboring countries. We are all excited to watch our favorite basketball players, meet and greet the new ones and of course, cheer for this year‘s tournament‘s champs. I motivate all the teams with their coaches to give their best, play fair and always believe in themselves and their abilities. Last but certainly not the least, a huge thank you and a round of applause to everyone who made this event possible; the sixteen participating teams, our beloved sponsors, fans, family and friends.

Mabuhay at muli, huwag nating kakalimutan: UNITY THROUGH SPORT!

Dino Brucal

SFBC Coordinator and Organizer

I congratulate the organizers, sponsors, teams, players and all of you who are taking part of this 16th SFBC Summer Basketball Tournament. On behalf of the Philippine Catholic Mission – Switzerland, I would like to invite each one of you to take time to thank God for the blessings of life, energy, health and friendship. God is always with you and always loves you. As you become more aware of God’s love for you, remember that God wants us to love others as we are loved. `A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)

Whatever you do, whether you are playing a sport, coaching, working, being with friends, Studying, do it with great love. Thank God for each moment you have and make the most of every opportunity. Even when you are asked to do something that you find very difficult, do it with all the joy you can summon.

As you participate in this Tournament, place yourselves in God’s loving hands. We pray that you be a good sport. May you do not seek individual glory or accolades, but rather that you play for God’s glory and for the good of your team. Be always aware of the brotherhood you have with all the players, even when they are opponents; play fair, free yourself from the temptation to fake, to foul, to cheat. May all who play in this tournament be protected from physical harm. At times, we all fail: we strike out, we miss shots, we make errors, may you accept them as part of the game. Play to the best of your ability.

We pray for those who watch from the stands that they, too, give glory to God by accepting, without prejudice, the rules and decisions of the tournament. May their hearts be filled with joy and gladness as they watch the tournament and cheer their teams. We pray also for the coaches and referees that they too experience God’s loving guidance in the decisions they make. For those who work behind the scenes to make this day enjoyable and for the Organizers, sponsors and supporters.

To all of you, may you enjoy this 16th SFBC Summer Basketball Tournament and May God bestow on each of you wisdom and acceptance. Remember; no matter the outcome of the final score – WE ARE ALL WINNERS!

Fr. Julipros Ibarra Dolotallas

SVD