Marc Bacolcol - Testimonial

I’d like to share a little bit about myself and where I come from. I’m a 17 year old first generation Canadian, born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. All my life, I’ve been living in government/community housing and it isn’t exactly the ideal positive environment a child should grow up in. Living in a single parent household also isn’t the typical family structure, but I wouldn’t prefer to have my family any other way. Although at times it was difficult to make ends meet, I’d like to say things turned out alright because of all the hard work my mom has put in. I can’t thank her enough for everything she has done for me.

Being surrounded by occasional violence and drug dealing, one would think that I would be likely to get involved. Fortunately, I came across the game of football and it has become a positive outlet for me ever since. Playing football has helped me to keep myself away from the negative influences around me. Not only did it help me to make the right choices, it has also given me the chance to make something of myself. Contrary to what others might think, I’m somewhat glad I grew up in such a setting because it has helped me to become mentally strong and I wake up each day wanting to work hard to hopefully get in return a better life for both myself and my family.

I feel lucky to have met genuinely good-hearted people who have been there to guide me and to help keep my head up through the all hard times. FFA in particular has given me the opportunity to live out a life-long dream of being a professional football player. Personally, I clearly wasn’t born a “gifted” footballer and I’m only a tiny grain of sand in the world of football. What FFA has done for me is that they’ve given me the strength to believe in myself and my ability. I think it is only right to give it my all, and I owe this to myself and to the people who have given me this chance. As long as I stay focused and most importantly, hungry to succeed, I believe good things will come with time.

My hope for the future is to provide my family with a life of financial security as well as paying the deed forward by doing what I can to help the less fortunate in need. It will be fulfilling to know that my hard work hasn’t gone to waste. I only dream of not having the worry of money being a daily issue. It’s tough to see someone you love work so hard just to put a roof on your head and food on the table. If I make it someday, I will make sure that I won’t have to experience the same grief again. It’s also just as important to me that I give back and never forget where I came from.