The day after they became legends and champions of UAAP 77, the NU Bulldogs were back “home” preparing for their next big fight: “Exam week.”
At 7 a.m. the rented house, which is home for Eric and Marissa Altamirano along with dozens of “transient” players, is quiet. All the real celebration happened yesterday. Today we’re busy recalling the sacrifices, the efforts, the trials and tribulations. The NU team literally finished a 4-year course full of lessons you don’t get in the classroom. If you hear all of them talking about “God’s will, how God intervened, how God made a way” you will understand why and the pain they endured as people, players and as a team.
We recalled how Marissa visited team manager Manny Sy to extend their condolences over the demise of Manny’s mom. Manny notices Tintin Rosario and recruits her to the NU volleyball team. He finds out Tin’s mom has cancer. Through Manny, Hans and Henry Sy’s foundation, she receives immediate medical attention, Manny lends out a condominium unit so they won’t have to travel too far. Sadly all this was not enough to save her and even after that, the management extends assistance to the Rosario family.
To that link of divine providence, Troy Rosario, the Most Improved Player gets added to the NU lineup.
Divine providence also connected Jean Mbe, an orphan from Cameroon who sought out Coach E on the Internet. Eric politely replied, “If you can come to the Philippines we can try to help you.” Jean found a kind patron who gave him the airfare and at the NAIA asked how to get to Eric’s house! Eric and Marissa ended up being foster parents and soon word spreads about the couple’s heart for athletes and another Cameroonian athlete tips off Coach E about Alfred Aroga. No money was involved, no finder’s fees, nothing. Kindness begets kindness.
Then there was the saddest Christmas for Glen Khobuntin. Typhoon Sendong hit Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City and everything they had invested in disappears into the darkness. I was there a few days after the team had sent relief assistance to Glen and family. I found them huddled by the roadside with no other place to go. Again the team, the family and the managers reached out, rented a house and helped.
There was the time when Ray-Ray Park’s girlfriend Maan developed cancer. Between helping a young woman who had become part of the “family,” to keeping a team member strong, they all had their hands, hearts and minds full. The pain kept coming. Maan died and then Ray Parks Senior also died from cancer.
Kyle Neyves played the games of his life while his mom suffered a fourth stroke. In between games 2 and 3, Kyle would be rushing off to Pangasinan to see his mother.
During his many seasons warming the bench, Paulo Javelona who’d been with the team the longest, also lost his father and almost lost hope of ever getting enough playing time. He spent most of his NU career feeling more like a leftover and wanted to go back home to Bacolod. The team would have none of it. From there, the benchwarmer went on to be the legendary “Keeffer Stopper.”
Even Alfred Aroga, “The Block Mamba,” of season 77 suffered the same loss when his father passed away while he was hard at work establishing himself in Manila.
We recalled how on the first call out for the players in 2011, many had bad habits and attitudes. They showed up very late for the call. As a result, all players were required to “try out” all over at 5 a.m. the following day in front of Hans Sy, Manny Sy and the whole management group. The players got so scared they practically slept on the court and were there as early as 4 a.m.
I lifted parts from a post from Marissa about their journey:
“Our Journey started 4 years ago. Coach E was offered the position of Head Coach at Nat U. Like most of the comments, I said NU? When I was in UP, playing for the volley team, NU was always our bonus game. Yes, I will admit I was one of those who looked down on the school because back then we were always on top. I always believe that God has the best sense of humor. When He decided to bring Eric to National U, we were served our humble pie.
National U is making a name, because its new owners, the Sy family believed that to make a successful school you need to invest in it. And they did.
Last year, was our most painful experience in the UAAP when we were #1 and beaten by UST in the final four. Being human, I too had a lot of “WHYS.”
I also had my moments with God. But being his daughter, I simply obeyed his WILL. Coming into the UAAP Season 77, there were also struggles.
The team lost Ray Parks, Jean Mbe, Dennice Villamor, Robin Rono and Mark de Guzman, 3 of which were playing major minutes. Aroga had eligibility issues
Our critics said, we were not a force to reckon with.
Unknown to them we had the greatest weapon they never saw and considered.
We had God, who always assured us. I believe that this EXODUS to the Promised Land was his doing. In the final four series, as Eric said, we broke our wall of Jericho, He made known his presence. We were # 4 in the rankings of the Final 4 and we had to beat Ateneo twice to make it to the Finals and we did.
I am truly thankful that we had our greatest supporters, Manny and Claire Sy, Sergio and Judy Fulton, Hans and Carol Sy. Again these are businessmen but to them the team was never a commodity. Each time there was a cry for help they were always there immediately. And there were the Titas: Mailen, Riz, Clarissa, Joan and Jessie.
You see friends, love was found in unexpected places, simply because they were family to 16 men whose hearts were still boys trapped in the bodies of men. The NU Bulldogs were in the Potter’s hand. He molded them, removed all the uneven and persistent foreign materials in the clay, decided their shapes and He put them into the fiery furnace and when they were out, the potter made the finishing touches and finally produced the most beautiful work of art. All this time it was never our strength but God’s, to Him we give the HONOR.”
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