Relationships
by Monica B. Savellano
Marielle Benitez has been
playing football since she was
in high school. She was the
team captain of the Philippine
women’s football team from
1999 up until her retirement
in 2015. She now coaches the
Philippine women’s under-16
football team and tells us how
they have blossomed into a
close family.What’s the best thing
about being part of a
sports team?
You have teammates who
become your “sisters for life”
because you all go through
the same experiences—both
success and failure—together.
We’re able to draw strength
and inspiration from
each other, and we
share a special bond
that carries on in
life—one that stays
strong even after
our playing years.More than Just a Team
In what ways is your
team like your family?
I bank on them for strength
and support. They push me
to my limits but at the same
time support me when I’m in
need. Especially when we’re in
training camp or competition,
we have to be there for each
other. My team provides the
mental and emotional support
needed to succeed.What are your shared
values?
There are just so many values
that one can learn in sports,
especially in team sports.
What’s important in a team is
that everyone shares the samevalues and commits to the
same goal. In all my football
teams, the values we share are
commitment, respect, hard
work, teamwork, patience, and
passion for what we do.What’s the most
important value you
learned from your
teammates?
That's definitely respect. It’s
about acknowledging that we
all have our own opinions, ideas,
strengths, and weaknesses. By
respecting each other, we are
able to support each other and
at the same time, we can still
focus on the needs of our team
rather than ourselves.Marielle (seated center) coaches the U-16
Women's National Team and considers her
teammates her “sisters for life.”