AT the heart of Mandaluyong City in Pioneer avenue, lies a newly built, sprawling sports and recreational training arena named Sparta.
It prides itself as being the only FIFA 1-start indoor football field in the country and just recently, it opened another first—a triathlon concept store named Maximus Athlete’s Shop Café.
The football field, according to Sparta owner Amanda Fernandez, is open 24/7 and will launch its first program called Sparta Football Workshop for Adults, with the help of Dream Big Pilipinas founder, Miguel Bermundo.
Dream Big Pilipinas is a football association in the Philippines that uses the sport of football as a catalyst for positive transformation among the youth in underserved communities.
The program intends to encourage adults to get into the sport of Football.
“It is never too late for adults to get into football. The football field will be open 24/7 and one can just drop by at Sparta after work or even after a nightcap for a good football workout,” said Fernandez.
As for the triathlon concept store, owned by well-known coach Andy Leuterio, multi-sport athletes such as cyclists, runners, swimmers will now have a place to enjoy shopping for their gears and enjoy coffee under one roof. They can also have their bikes washed at the bike spa.
Self-defense
The Sparta also has a calisthenics and martial arts facilities, where students can enjoy Zumba and yoga and learn the arts of various self defense like capoiera, karate, jeet kune do and Kali or arnis. In the classes, students are taught how to defend themselves against knives and other weapons in street encounters.
“The program also allows them to unleash their inner warrior. Everyone deserves to feel safe–whether at home or during a commute, and learning basic skills in our classes can do that,” said Fernandez.
What excites me more, however, is the forthcoming Boxing and MMA gym.
Talks are underway for Sparta to house the Highland Boxing and MMA promotion owned by Brico Santig of La Trinidad, Benguet.
Santig, who has world International Boxing Organization flyweight champion Rey Loreto under his fold, and several international champions in the OPBF and WBC organizations, will have his boxing trainers offering classes for executives as well as to young boxing and MMA enthusiasts.
ONE Championship lady fighter Jujeath Nagaowa also belongs to the Highland stable. Santig has also been recently appointed as head of K1 Philippines. K1, which used to be the most popular kickboxing show in the world, is now being revived in Japan and Asia.
If plans push through, Santig also hopes to have his professional boxing and K1 fighters train in Manila and carry the Highland-Sparta banner.
Fernandez said aggressive expansion of Sparta is line with its vision to “influence everyone to get into wellness and active living and aim to create bigger and sustainable changes within yourself.”
She aptly calls it the Spartan lifestyle.
