Contrary to what most people would think, not all team captains are born with those golden limbs right away. Some take a long time hitting their stride, but once they do, they begin to climb their way to the top.
That’s what Michelene Lagdameo (III AB Comm), fondly known as Mitch, found out when she first tried judo. “I started out just this February 2007, out of curiosity and coach’s advice.”
The same goes for Carlo Jason Garcia (IV AB MEco) who discovered the sport only on the second semester of his freshman year because it was his Physical Education class. He joined the club the following summer.
Shaky start
“When I started out, I was really thin, I was not even muscular, I would die out of running, I’m not in a good diet (sic) – I wasn’t being athletic at all,” Mitch says. This was, for her, a major shift from the occasional boxing sessions she does out of fun. Mitch found herself in a place where the word “tough” means everything.
Things did not go smoothly in the beginning. Mitch, who came in having to demand more from her relaxed lifestyle, found this “guys’ sport” really demanding. But that didn’t hinder her to learn and love judo the way she loves it now. “I really didn’t have a hard time with the team and I learned quickly, but what really made it difficult was I had an injury at the very start,” she recalls.
Mitch suffered a string of injuries during her initial months. She says “it is easy to want to quit when you’re injured.”
Unlike Mitch, Jason did not suffer any major injury that left him in the sidelines. Not being able to compete very well because of “the fact that you know little about the sport” was Jason’s dilemma at the start. He says, “You want to improve but you’re just starting. What was even harder was the fact was that I needed to prove myself against the seniors back then.”
Aiming higher
Jason describes himself as a judoka, who is “sawa na sa bronze” (tired of bronze). Last summer he competed in the Philippine Judo Nationals at the Tutuban Mall where he fought against judokas all over the country. He won, yes – a bronze.
For all his frustrations, Jason says that the mere fact that he competes against a field of great judokas in a tournament and still landing in the third spot is an honor invaluable enough.
Jason’s stepping stone was when their team cruised to the Thailand Judo International Tournament. It was the first time the Judoka team went outside the archipelago. “A worthwhile experience,” he sums up.
Meanwhile, Mitch has also had her taste of glory. In her first University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) tilt, Mitch bagged the bronze against a fellow Atenean. She also went on to cop another bronze in the Philippine Olympic Festival, and then returning with a silver in the Junior Nationals for Judo.
“It takes commitment, passion, and humility to play judo. Without those you can’t be a good judoka. I’ve learned all of it here,” she says.
Mitch says that judo is not just a simple sport involving full-body contact. For her, to fight somebody in judo is not just seeing how your opponent moves against you, but rather, seeing yourself as a person. The sport is challenging, yet fulfilling, Jason adds. “You won’t last if you’re not passionate about it.”
The gift
The way of thinking, perspective about everything, setting priorities – these are some of what Jason says Judo gave to him.
“I became patient. If you still can’t perform a throw, practice and practice. It also taught me humility,” he says. The Blue Judokas’ captain also expressed his desire to use his judo skills in well-known combat tournaments, such as Ultimate Fighting Championship and mixed martial arts.
“I think the best gift judo gave me was myself. I didn’t really have any idea when I first tried it but now I couldn’t see myself without it. I believe you can see people based on how they play – are you a quitter, the one who makes all kinds of excuses, or just doing what you want to do?” Mitch says. “It gave me a clear understanding of who I am. And aside from that, I gained my closest friends in judo.”
When asked whether the Lady Judokas will be in a good spot this UAAP Season, Mitch says, “Last year was a disappointment so I think we’re hungrier this time. We want it more. We now have a better understanding of what it takes to win. We’re not rookies anymore. Sometimes how bad you want it determines who’ll win.”
“Yes we join other tournaments, but still, the UAAP is our top priority,” Jason adds. The words may be brief, but the spirit is filled with unrelenting will.
