CEBU, Philippines — A well known skills trainer and veteran coach will be joining the grassroots basketball program under the soon-to-be launched “Sports for All” advocacy of former customs commissioner and top drug-buster Yogi Filemon Ruiz.
Giovanni “Jojo” Romarate Teves will help out in teaching the young aspiring ballers across the 80 barangays of Cebu City about the fundamentals of the sport in this noble project spearheaded by Ruiz, the first Cebuano commissioner of the Bureau of Customs and former regional director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-7 who has already made known his intent to run for mayor in next year’s elections.
For three decades now, Teves has been transforming raw talents into hardcourt gems as training director of Sunsport basketball camp since 1994.
“Nagpasalamat ko og dako ni sir Yogi (Ruiz) ning oportunidad nga iyang gihatag nako,” said Teves. “Nalipay kaayo ko nga naapil aning maanindot nga programa kay ako gyud passion kining pag-train ug pag-develop sa mga players.”
Before becoming an established coach and trainer, Teves prides himself on being a topnotch cager.
He was part of the Salazar Institute of Technology (now SCSIT) Baby Skyblazers that emerged as juniors division champion of the Cebu Amateur Athletic Association (CAAA), the precursor of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI), way back in 1990.
During his college days, Teves suited up for the SIT Skyblazers that reigned supreme in the Cebu Basketball League (CBL) under the tutelage of Mark Anthony Tallo.
With his impressive track record as a Skyblazer, SIT owner and founder Engr. Doroteo M. Salazar hired Teves as head coach of the school’s varsity teams.
It was during this time that he got the opportunity to mentor the likes of Jimwell Torion and Junthy Valenzuela, who went on to become PBA stars.
In the commercial circuit, Romarate-Teves saw action with Upland Feeds of coach Norberto “Titing” Manalili in the Mandaue Industrial Commercial Athletic Association (MICAA). He also served as assistant coach of Cebu Landmasters in the Cebu Basketball Federation (CBF) and head coach of various teams in inter-commercial leagues.
With Sunsport, Romarate-Teves is very proud for having trained once Roger Ray “RR” Pogoy, one of the country’s hottest hardcourt warriors today.
“Nindot kaayo ang feeling sa usa ka trainer ilabi na duna kay makita nga bunga sa imong hinagoan. Sa Yogi training camp, mao sab ni atong buhaton. Bairon nato ang abilidad sa mga batan-on aron mamahimo silang maayo nga mga players sud ug gawas sa korte kay ato man sab silang tabangan paggiya aron makab-ot ang ilang mga damgo sa kinabuhi sa umaabot.”