UP IN the third floor of the Moro Lorenzo Sports Complex, the quiet of dawn is broken by the grunts of a squad of jins as they spar with one another. A scant selection of noises can be heard during this time: The distant squeak of basketball shoes two floors down, the calm voice of Ateneo Taekwondo Head Coach Elmer Rafael, the deep bass of the Hip-hop music coming from the team’s portable speaker as they train.
This early morning solitude was key in helping the Ateneo Taekwondo teams lock into focus for another day of preparation for the season. As Season 80 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Taekwondo tournament approached, the Ateneo Taekwondo teams trained with the same sense of urgency, but with different expectations to meet in light of contrasting finishes last season.
Changing control
For the Ateneo Men’s Taekwondo Team, redemption was key. Their loss against the Far Eastern University Tamaraws in the final match last year cemented their 0-6 record, placing the team at the bottom of the standings. The complete overhaul of the coaching staff at the heart of the season had a substantial effect. Head Coach Elmer Rafael only came into the fray midway through last season, replacing a handful of other coaches.
This made the stellar finish of the Women’s team last year even sweeter for Rafael. The Ateneo Women’s Taekwondo team–armed with the addition of Olympian and eventual Rookie of the Year (ROTY) Pauline Lopez–defied odds and broke Ateneo’s 18-year medal drought, placing third in Season 79.
“Kinuha ako ng Ateneo last year for the college team since January lang, so I only had half the season or 10 months para magtrabaho,” (I was tapped by Ateneo to coach the college team in January, so I only had half the season to work) Rafael explained. “[Because of this] sobrang tuwang-tuwa ako sa second-runner up. Talagang lahat nagulat sa biglang pag-angat ng Ateneo Women’s Team.” (I was overjoyed with second-runner up medal. Everyone was surprised with the sudden rise of the Ateneo Women’s Team)
Offseason regimen
Being under the supervision of four coaches in the past did not seem so effective for the team. With Rafael spearheading all courses of action in the past few months, the teams experienced more organized and intimate sessions with their coach. Intense endurance training remained as a focal point during the entire training process.
“This year nag-improve talaga kami–dinoble at triniple [ang effort] para lang ma-improve ang endurance (This year, we really needed to improve–double and triple effort just to improve our endurance),” says Rafael.
Rafael designed the training program for both the Blue and Lady Eagles immediately after UAAP Season 79 concluded. New measures were taken in terms of their training schedule, extending the hours of the team’s daily grind to add an earlier start to morning sessions.
“We felt the pressure more this year, kasi twice a day kami nag-train, even weekends,” shares Ateneo Women’s Taekwondo Team Captain Gem Sandoval.
The team’s routine carried on despite the absence of Lopez who represented the Philippines in various competitions abroad during the off-season such as the Chuncheon Korea Open 2017 in July where she scored gold. Another stint at the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan in September gave the Lady Eagle another avenue of international exposure to fine tune her game in preparation for a new UAAP season.
The team saw this as an opportunity to learn from the techniques she acquired during rigorous practice procedures and exposure to foreign competition. “We still try to do our best and encourage each other to give it our all even though may kulang at kahit hindi pa nasa actual tournament,” says Sandoval.
New blood
On top of the changes made in the training process, the Ateneo jins welcomed a phenomenal twosome to the troupe, boosting their ranks with rookies Paul Cham and Danielle Morales.
Cham waited a year to suit up for the Blue Eagles. Hailing from San Beda College in Mendiola, Cham arrived at Loyola Heights last year, but had to serve a year of residency before officially sporting the Blue and White in the UAAP. When he finally hit the mat, the bantamweight blue jin brought invaluable experience and tenacity to the squad, despite being a rookie. He dispatched a number of opponents in his singles matches, bagging an individual bronze medal in the process.
Morales, a Saint Pedro Poveda College product, stands as the lone but prized freshman to fight in Season 80 among the two kyorugi squads.
“Sobrang galing niya as in nakaka-gold na siya before (She’s really good, as in she won gold before),” team captain Gem Sandoval says of Morales. “Matangkad pa siya, and really powerful.” (She’s tall and really powerful)
The first-timer did not disappoint, demonstrating fighting prowess akin to a seasoned veteran in her UAAP debut. With Ateneo needing a point to win their final team-tie of the season against the University of Santo Tomas (UST), Morales did not crack under the pressure or falter under the bright lights of the Blue Eagle Gym. She struck first in the sudden-death against Marjelle Sy, clinching the silver medal for the Lady Eagles. Morales also earned a gold medal in the Welterweight division, and the Rookie of the Year Award after dropping only one match the entire season.
The outcome
It was an emotional run for Ateneo Taekwondo, who shared mixed results after the four-day tournament.
The Men’s team capped off Season 80 with a 1-5 record, ultimately placing 6th in the overall standings. On the third day of the tournament, Rafael shared that for the Men’s team, they were no longer looking to finish at the podium. “We couldn’t get a lot of wins, but we are targeting to get the medals, not the ranking,” he said.
Despite the unsuccessful final day for the Blue Eagles, Coach Rafael still acknowledged the improved performances of key players such as Elijah Buencamino, Noy Garcia, and team captain Jeff Alejandro. He also gave due credit to Cham’s bronze finish in the Bantamweight division.
In addition to Morales’ accolades and their silver finish, multiple lady jins garnered individual awards. Irene Therese Bermejo and Lopez won gold in the Finweight and Featherweight divisions respectively. Bermejo capped off Season 80 undefeated, 17-0 in the first round against the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigresses. It was in the fifth match, also against UST’s Alyssa Asegurado, that Pauline Lopez claimed her gold medal after the second round, 17-4, to secure a spotless record in the tournament.
Despite falling short of their championship aspirations, Coach Rafael remains grateful for this year’s achievements. He even mentions that were only narrowly defeated by the National University Bulldogs, showing that a first overall finish is well within reach. “Sa amin talaga sila [NU] nahirapan (They really had a difficult time against us).”
Giving their hearts and souls into this season’s preparation paid off for the Blue and Lady Jins. Coach Rafael remains optimistic for his team, who are already looking ahead towards the next year. “Because of the K-12, we can now get players from the graduating senior high school class”, he says. “Hopefully, we can fight very well next year and in the seasons to come.”
With gold on their minds, Ateneo Taekwondo will continue to work hard in the shadows with the hope of shining brighter than ever.
