BN Football Academy

What is BN Football?

BN stands for Barotac Nuevo — a town in Iloilo, Philippines, fondly known as the Football Capital of the Philippines. It has long been the cradle of football excellence in the country, supplying countless top players to major universities and the national team.

This is where our founder’s journey began — on dusty fields, learning to kick the ball, growing in skill and character. That heritage led to playing for the Philippines National Team and later coaching the Philippines Youth National Team.

To honour it, BN Football Academy was founded in 2022 in Richmond, B.C., carrying forward Barotac’s values — team spirit, discipline, community, humility, and passion. We train not just players, but well-rounded individuals who embrace the beautiful game and the character it builds.

Team spiritDisciplineCommunityHumilityPassion

Led by a national-team footballer.

Coach John

Head Coach & Founder

A member of the U16 and U21 Philippine National Teams, Coach John went on to coach at the highest levels of Philippine youth football before founding BN Football Academy in Richmond. He brings a rare depth of international credentials — Canada Soccer, AFC, UEFA, and JFA — to every session on the pitch.

Philippine National Team · U16 & U21Canada Soccer B LicenseAFC B DiplomaUEFA B License

Major playing experience

Member, U21 Philippine National Team (2002–2003)
Member, U16 Philippine National Team (2000–2001)

Coaching experience

Head Coach — Ilonggo Young Booters FC (Philippines) · Borneo Cup, 3rd Place U16, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia (2019)
Assistant Coach — PFF U15 Boys National Team · AFC U15 Championship, Chonburi, Thailand (2017)
Assistant Coach — PFF U14 Boys National Team · AFC U14 Regional Festival, Brunei (2016)
Assistant Coach — PFF U14 Boys National Team · AFC U14 Regional Festival, Brunei (2015)
Head Coach — I-PAGASA FC (Philippines) · Singa Cup Singapore Champion, U14 Boys (2014)
Assistant Coach — PFF U14 Boys National Team · AFC U14 Asian Qualifiers, Myanmar (2013)
Assistant Coach — PFF U16 Boys National Team · AFC U16 Qualifiers, Bacolod, Philippines (2009)

Licenses & seminars

Canada Soccer — Recognition of Qualification, B License level (2024)
AFC B Diploma License — PHI-COA-B-19/01 (2019)
Japan Football Association — International Coaching Course, J-Green Sakai, Osaka (2015)
DFB · UEFA B Level Coaching Course — Koblenz, Germany (2013)
Japan Football Association — International Coaching Course, J-Village, Fukushima (2010)

The history of Barotac Nuevo.

Barotac Nuevo was originally a barrio called Malutac, part of the municipality of Dumangas. According to local legend, in exchange for the prized white stallion Tamasak, Don Simon Protacio negotiated with the Spanish Governor-General to elevate Malutac into its own town — “baro” and “lutac”, two words for mud, plus “Nuevo” to set it apart from nearby Barotac Viejo.

Officially founded in 1810–1811, Barotac Nuevo thrived as an agricultural community known for rice, sugarcane, and fish ponds — but it stood out most for one passion: football.

The town’s football culture took off in the 1920s, fuelled by the legacy of Iloilo-born Paulino Alcántara, one of the earliest Filipino stars in international football. Fields replaced plazas, every street formed a team, and community support for young players became the norm.

Generations of athletes from Barotac Nuevo have earned scholarships at major Philippine universities and spots on regional and national teams. That same spirit — and the name of the stallion, Tamasak — lives on in BN Football Academy today.

Programs built for every level.

Elite Player Training

Competitive squads with a real, measured pathway to the next level.

Fitness & Conditioning

Athletic development that keeps players sharp, strong, and match-ready.

Goalkeeper Training

Specialist coaching for the most demanding position on the pitch.

Player Performance

Every player measured, tracked, and developed with real data.

The only academy in the city that shows you your child’s growth.

Every other academy hands you a brochure. At BN, every family logs in to watch their child develop — week by week, in their coach’s own words. It’s the difference between hoping they’re improving and seeing it.

→Weekly evaluations from your child’s own coach

→Pillar-by-pillar progress, tracked all season long

→A season keepsake your family keeps forever

See a player’s journey →

Straight from the academy.

announcementJuly 14

BN heads to SingaCup 2026 in Singapore

Our squad has qualified for the Singapore International Youth Cup, October 30 – November 7. Follow the journey as BN represents Richmond on the international stage.

noteJuly 11

Spring Break Camp 2026 — now enrolling

Five days of elite training over spring break, open to players across the Lower Mainland, with guest sessions from Juventus FC. Limited spots.

reminderJuly 7

Spring 2026 tryouts are open

Tryouts are underway across every age group. Book yours and start the pathway to the next level.

BN Football Academy - Singapore Bound 2026

BN Football Academy is proud to represent Canada at the Singa Cup 2026 International Youth Football Tournament in Singapore. This fundraising campaign aims to support our young athletes with tournament registration, travel, accommodation, and other essential expenses as they compete against teams from around the world. Your support helps provide our players with a valuable opportunity to develop their skills, gain international experience, build lifelong memories, and proudly represent our community on the global stage. Every contribution, big or small, brings our team one step closer to achieving their dream. Thank you for helping our young footballers turn their dreams into reality. Together, we can make the journey to Singapore possible! About SingaCup: The SingaCup 2026 will take place in Singapore from October 31 to November 7, 2026. As Asia's premier international youth football tournament, it will feature boys' and girls' categories across age groups ranging from U-8 to U-16, alongside Para football divisions. The tournament routinely attracts over 150 teams and clubs from more than 20 countries, offering young athletes competitive 9v9 (or similar) match environments. It also includes cultural exchanges and tours of Singapore's top attractions like Universal Studios and Marina Bay Sands https://singacup.com/

Support the team →

Three home turf fields across Richmond.