Ambassadors of cool

MANILA, Philippines - As an athlete, you go all-in to surpass your limits. As an artiste, you go all-in to break new ground. As a fan, you go all-in to support your favorite team. And as a brand, Adidas goes all-in to support people in what they love.

Fresh from its “All In” campaign, Adidas is breaking new ground by introducing the up-and-coming youth that encompasses and embraces all that is Adidas. Heart over head, inclusion over ego, united by passion, Adidas is proud to introduce their young and bright ambassadors, tennis star Samantha Mae Coyiuto, University of the Philippines’ Mike Silungan, Ateneo de Manila’s Von Pessumal, De La Salle University’s Luigi dela Paz, and National University’s Bobby Ray Parks Jr. When you love your game, whatever the game, you put your all into it.

Not only do these five athletes show exceptional skills, they all show outstanding commitment and stellar skills off the court. And come April 2012, this youngster will now be included in the roster of Adidas ambassadors.

Constellation of skills: Adidas’ young, bright ambassadors — De La Salle University’s Luigi dela Paz, tennis star Samantha Mae Coyiuto, Ateneo de Manila’s Von Pessumal, University of the Philippines’ Mike Silungan

At 17 years old, not only is Samantha Mae Coyiuto a national age group tennis player, she’s a Philippine STAR columnist (her column is titled “Amaezing”), a fiction writer and author of literary works who has just released her fourth book titled Flight to the Stars. She is also an active leader in her student body, an honor student who is also the yearbook editor in chief. This girl just doesn’t hold back on her passion.

Samantha explains, “I go all-in for Adidas by going beyond limits. I try my best in my studies, in my writing and in my tennis because I have the mindset that we are not given anything that we cannot handle. You do not just dip or feel the water when you decide to jump, you go all in. I plunge and dive into this amazing life journey and hope to go the distance.”

Just this year, she won the HEAD Jr. National Satellite Tour and was selected MVP. She also won in the Truflex National Tournament, and a gold medalist in the NCR Regional Palarong Pambansa. When asked about her advice to aspiring young athletes, she says, “My advice is to not let anything stop you. Do not let one loss get in the way of your sports dream. Success in sports is not just pure luck; you train to win. If you don’t put any time or effort into anything in life, you will get nowhere. When you get committed to a sport, you put every ounce of your passion and determination to it. Lastly, play because you love playing. Enjoy what you’re doing and do not lose sight of why you fell in love with the sport in the first place.”

Smashing success: Samantha Mae Coyiuto says, “I have the mindset that we are not given anything that we cannot handle. You do not just dip or feel the water when you decide to jump, you go all-in. I plunge and dive into this amazing life journey and hope to go the distance.”

Taking the city by storm is University of the Philippines’ darkhorse Mike Silungan. A combination of vigor, wit, and dashing good looks, this Fil-Am rookie gives it 110 percent on and off the court. He believes that sports prepare you not only mentally but physically. Now in his second year with the Fighting Maroons, Mike believes that he has learned many things that cannot be taught in school or learned from books. “Every game is the biggest game. I don’t look towards the future. I don’t look towards the championship. All I’m looking forward to is the next game. The next game is always the biggest game.”

Possessing the heart of a true champion, the Ateneo de Manila standout Von Pessumal is one athlete you should definitely watch out for. Willing to sacrifice individual glory to get a win as a team, Von shares his motivation that drives his passion, “Aside from my family, I believe what truly motivates me is excellence. I was taught, at a very young age, that excellence does not just stop when you finally reach your goal. Excellence is the habit of achieving more than what you want and more than what you can give. And quite frankly, I can do a lot more to improve myself individually basketball-wise, and I believe that is what really motivates me.”

Serve with love: When asked for her advice to aspiring young athletes, Samantha Mae Coyiuto says, “Play because you love playing. Enjoy what you’re doing and do not lose sight of why you fell in love with the sport in the first place.”

Making his sophomore collegiate debut in De La Salle University this season is Luigi dela Paz. He may seem quiet but this athlete is not afraid to get his hands dirty when it comes to the love of the game. “By playing hard in every game and never giving up in every possession, I put all my hardwork and determination in everything I do. It is the pasion and the desire to strive for the best that sets me apart from other players. I play by heart and I do whatever it takes for my team to reach the top and be the best,” says Luigi. Don’t let his poster boy looks fool you, he makes sure his presence is felt every game on the court.

Dubbed as among the best young guards in Asia, National University’s Bobby Ray Parks Jr. is one highly-touted player in UAAP this season. He is definitely not your ordinary rookie. Continuing his father’s legacy (Bobby Sr. was a seven-time PBA Best Import Awardee), Bobby Jr. continues his dreams of becoming the first Filipino NBA player. When asked why he loves the game, he says, “I love it because it gives me the opportunities that I need, a free education and a chance to show my God-given talent. I love how when I’m on the court, it feels like I’m in a different world, just having fun, hoopin’. I love the competition where every time I step on the court I can compete with another player who may be better than me.” He is currently making a name for himself by doing his best and seeing where that takes him.

Samantha Mae Coyiuto with National University’s Bobby Ray Parks Jr.

Samantha Coyiuto, Mike Silungan, Von Pessumal, Luigi dela Paz and Bobby Ray Parks Jr. are just a few of the many bright and hopeful young people to look out for this season and the next.

Adidas apparel and footwear are available at Adidas Greenbelt 3 and Adidas TriNoma. For information, visit www.facebook.com/adidasPhilippines.