Career shift for ex-referee

Former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) referee Meynard Ballecer is seriously considering a career in coaching now that he’s no longer blowing a whistle on the court.

For Ballecer, coaching is nothing new. He was on the coaching staff of the national women’s basketball team in 1997 and he’s the head coach of the La Salle Dasmarinas senior girls squad.

Obviously, teaching is in Ballecer’s blood. That’s primarily what he likes to do. He’s been a physical education instructor at De La Salle University, Taft Avenue, since 1990 and he carries a full load of 12 units each trimester. Ballecer conducts basketball and football classes at La Salle–it’s no coincidence that he’s got a solid background in both sports.

Not too many know that Ballecer played with Jerry Codinera on the University of the East (UE) juniors basketball team. He went on to play football for the Polytechnic University of the Philippines where he earned a physical education degree in 1989.

Ballecer, 38, is in the record books as the youngest arbiter ever in the Basketball Referees Commission (BARECOM) rolls. He worked collegiate and Philippine Basketball League (PBL) games before jumping to the PBA in 1996.

For seven years, Ballecer was a fixture in the PBA. He was known as the first referee with the guts to eject Ginebra playing coach Robert Jaworski. It’s not something Ballecer’s particularly proud of because in his mind, that was just part of the game–something that was called for at the moment.

At the end of last year, Ballecer’s PBA contract expired. It wasn’t renewed this season.

"I wasn’t dismissed," he clarified. "If you’re dismissed, the impression is you were taken out for cause, like mayroon kang ginawang kalokohan. In all my years as a PBA referee, my record is clean. I’m proud of my reputation of standing up for what I believe is right. Maybe, it was a blessing in disguise because leaving the PBA gave me the opportunity to concentrate on my work at La Salle and consider a shift to coaching."

Any embarrassing moments in the PBA? He cited an instance during a Red Bull-Coca-Cola game in the All-Filipino Cup last year. "Tinawagan ko ng technical yung ball boy ng Coca-Cola," he said. "Nagkamali ako. Hindi pala yung ball boy ang may kasalanan, kundi yung driver ni Freddie Abuda sitting behind the bench."

Ballecer said a consolation was he was never accosted by any fan or player. He was never threatened. He was never challenged to a fistfight. And he was never the target of an angry mob.

Ballecer said he has accepted the PBA’s decision to let him go but there was a tinge of bitterness in his voice as he related how he was told his contract wouldn’t be renewed.

"Si (Darrell) Garretson ang nag-decide kung sinu-sino ang kukunin," continued Ballecer, referring to the former National Basketball Association (NBA) supervisor of officials who was recently here for a month. "Nagtrabaho ako ng three weeks only to be told last Feb. 19 hindi mare-renew yung contract ko. Okay lang. We’re professionals. It’s like we’re a basketball team and there’s a new coaching staff. They want the veterans to make way for young blood. Hindi naman ako kilala ni Garretson kaya I’m wondering kung talagang napagisipan ng mabuti yung kanyang desisyon. Nasabihan ako four days before the season opening."

Still, Ballecer said he will always be grateful to the PBA–for the public exposure, for the chance to work in the country’s premier basketball league. He admitted his seven-year stint enhanced his image as a physical education teacher.

Any unfinished business with the PBA? "One thing lang," he replied. "Yung aking retirement pay–one month for every year of service. Makakatulong din ‘yan sa pamilya."

Ballecer said he hasn’t watched the PBA games on TV lately so he’s not able to comment on how the referees have performed since the start of the campaign. "Kulang ako sa free time," he added. "When I have the chance, I watch teaching tapes on basketball basics, coaching, and things that I can learn from. Siguro, parang napagod na rin ako sa kakapanood ng PBA. But I think my interest will come back. Iba naman talaga ang PBA–if you love basketball, you’ll make time for the PBA."

Ballecer said the priority in his life is his family. He and wife Juliet have been married close to 18 years. They have three children–Julie Mae, 17, Julius, 11 and Meynard Juliet or MJ, 2.

A typical day for Ballecer begins at 4 a.m. when he wakes up. He commutes from his home in Dasmarinas, Cavite, and reaches the La Salle campus on Taft Avenue between 6 to 7 in the morning. His classes end at noon then he goes to La Salle Dasmarinas for the 3 p.m. girls team practice. He also spends hours as a physical education consultant at the Philippine Merchant Marines School.

Ballecer said he’s finished his thesis on the "temperamental limitations of basketball game officials" and he will soon earn a Master’s degree in physical education at the Pamantasan Ng Lungsod Ng Maynila.

"Right now, I don’t miss the PBA," he said. "I’m busy working. I enjoy my work at La Salle and Mr. (Martin) Ronda (Chair of the Physical Education Department) is an inspiration. Tapos na yung chapter ng PBA sa buhay ko. It’s time to move on."

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