To the dads

It was father’s day last Sunday and although this is quite late, I’d like to pay tribute to my fellow sporting dads.

Since I lost my father when I was seven years old, I never really got a chance to celebrate it from the point of view of a son.

Despite his passing on early, my father, Nonilon Frasco Quiñones, had a major influence on my interest in sports owing to our regular visits to the recreation center near our compound in the old Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corporation in Toledo City.

In the course of my career as a sports journalist, I also met many fathers, who dedicated themselves to helping their kids become better athletes.

Later, when I became a father myself, I met very supportive fathers, who always found time to be with their kids despite their hectic schedules. I salute all the dads, papas, and tatays, who have gotten their kids into sports.

Internationally, there are many famous father and son or daughter tandems in sports. There was the late Earl Woods, who dedicated himself to helping his son, Tiger, become the best in the world. There is also the sport of boxing’s greatest, Muhammad Ali, whose daughter Leila has also become a topnotch boxer.

Many other famous fathers and sons are baseball’s Ken Griffey Sr. and his son Ken Jr., who was a recent visitor in Cebu.

In the Philippines, we had the Big J, Robert Jaworski and his son Robert Jr. better known and Dudut, who played alongside each other in the PBA.

When I travel to other parts of the country for golf tournaments, I have met many fathers, who are at the gallery rooting for their children, who have become top players of their clubs.

Among them are George Hong, whose sons William and Chucky, had played for Cebu Country Club; Joseph ‘Opep’ Gandionco, whose son Gio played for Alta Vista and later CCC; Charlie Go, whose son LJ plays for CCC; and most recently Atty. Ellie Espinoza, whose son Dominic played for Alta Vista.

There are also many fathers, who found another chance to play their favorite sport when their kids started to play the game. Among them are my teammates in the Cebu Amateur Football Club like Ricky Dakay and Dondon Ramos as well as my teammates in the original Dads team of Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu like Vince Nery and Ruel de Guzman.

There are also the basketball dads led by Perry Lim and Wilson Yu as well as my grade school classmate and ex-pro Lou Regidor.

There are so many dads that have inspired their kids to get into sports and have dedicated themselves to the promotion of such. Among them is Lowell Belarmino, whose sons are among the top junior shooters of Cebu.

To all dads, keep on encouraging your children to try sports and don’t force them to pick up one because you play it or you think they can be the best in the world.

Let them discover what’s best for them and always remember that they are kids and they have to enjoy what they are doing.

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MILESTONES: Happy birthday greetings to Dr. Mary Louise Janet Tadlip-Alforque and Narletter Mañacap, who are celebrating today.

Advance greetings go to our publisher and my ninong Juanito V. Jabat, who is turning a year older tomorrow.

The same goes to John Chade Alcano, Leica Cruz, Lt. Col. Arvin Lagamon, Joy Briones-Avila, Luzshan Alison, John Paul Chiongbian, and my mistahs John Divinagracia and Juanito Testa.

More power to all of you! – THE FREEMAN