AT THE end of their collegiate careers, student-athletes are faced with two choices: Pursue their sport at the professional level or work towards a new career path. Regardless of the career paths they choose, these athletes’ experiences in college, such as playing in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), have helped them succeed in the professions that they are pursuing. Some examples of these student-athletes are former Ateneans Gabby Macatulad, Radito Banzon, and Toby Gadi, who have grown from their collegiate athletic experiences and are now widening their horizons after their collegiate runs.

Catching life’s curveball

Upon graduating in 2020 from the BFA Information Design program, Gabby decided to retire from softball and tried her hand at freelance graphic design work. During this time, she pursued creative projects for companies like Bucky’s Not A Brownie and various non-government organizations. Given her passion for graphic design, the former Ateneo Softball team captain now works as a full-time graphic designer for an online-based swimwear company called Blackbough Swim.

Although Gabby eventually found a stable job, her journey in graphic design was no walk in the park in light of the shift to the online setting. However, her experiences as a student-athlete over the years taught her how to overcome challenges and equipped her for the transition to the real world.

Joining the Ateneo Softball Team in college, Gabby learned the value of perseverance. As she and the Lady Eagles faced dominant teams in the UAAP, it was difficult to tally wins season after season. However, with grit and determination, Gabby helped her team snap a 23-game losing streak in her rookie year in UAAP Season 78. This taught her how to overcome challenges and adversity early on.

Upon entering her senior year in UAAP Season 81, Gabby was appointed as the team captain, which helped her prepare for the real world. Throughout her captainship, Gabby gained interpersonal skills—having to deal with various personalities—and also learned how to adjust to different situations and stay composed even during setbacks and high-pressure situations.

Although Gabby owes a lot of her personal growth to softball, she knew that the UAAP would be the end of the road for her competitive career. Knowing the immense dedication and sacrifices it would take to pursue a professional career, she decided that it was not the life she wanted. Despite bidding goodbye to the sport she loved, she proudly walks away from the pitch without regrets and remains optimistic about her future career in graphic design.

Batting under the pressure

For 20 years, Radito dedicated much of his time to baseball—from being a kid who simply enjoyed playing the sport to becoming a UAAP champion in Seasons 77 and 79 and a Mythical Team member in Season 80. However, upon graduating from college, Radito decided that it was time to move on from baseball to chase another dream—becoming a doctor.

Now in his second year at the ASMPH, he has no regrets about foregoing a professional baseball career. In his two decades playing baseball, he made sure that all of his time and energy were put into the sport—never wasting any second of his playing time. “I already gave all that there is to give [to baseball], there is not much more that I can provide to the game. I laid everything on the table,” Radito said.

Despite moving on from baseball, the former Blue Eagle attributes his strong-willed mentality to what he learned from his sport. One such instance was in Game 1 of the UAAP Season 76 Baseball Finals where the freshman Radito was surprisingly placed on the field as a substitute. During his turn at bat, Radito hit the ball to right field and had to dive to reach third base, leaving him with a massive wound on his right arm. Despite the injury, the opportunity to play in the championship game as a rookie was formative because it taught him how to work under any kind of pressure, may it be in the baseball field or in real life.

“That [moment] prepared me for whenever I’m put in a big moment,” he shared. “I realized from then on that I should always step up in times of pressure, just like when I took my [National Medical Admission Test] or whenever I am answering exams in med school,” he added.

As Radito continues his difficult journey to become a doctor, the lessons he learned from baseball will keep him grounded and will help him overcome any challenges and high-pressure moments that he may encounter along the way.

Shuttling abroad

In 2009, the nationally top-ranked badminton phenom Toby entered Ateneo hoping to smash the competition in the UAAP. Living up to his own expectations, he played four seasons with the Ateneo Men’s Badminton Team and ended his career with a UAAP Championship, the Most Valuable Player award in Season 74, and the Moro Lorenzo Sportsman of the Year award in the same season.

Eight years later, Toby remains active in the badminton scene and is now a full-time badminton coach in a club based in Northern California—fulfilling his dream of coaching since he was a student. “Alam ko na talaga na (I knew that) for sure after school I want to be involved sa badminton, like maging coach (become a coach), 100% coach,” Toby shared.

Despite eventually achieving his dream of becoming a coach, Toby initially had plans to further his professional career as a badminton player in the Philippines back in his senior year. Upon his departure from the University in 2013, Toby was ranked as the number one Men’s Singles player in the Philippines—a title he held on to for seven years from 2007 to 2014—and was in prime condition to play in international tournaments. However, the lack of funding ultimately slowed him down and prevented him from achieving his full potential. “Napagod lang ako kasi parang wala yung (I got tired because there was no) financial support. I guess kasi (because) badminton is really not a big sport sa (in the) Philippines,” he shared.

Despite the lack of financial support, Toby tried his best to qualify for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. However, a foot injury in December 2014 required him to get surgery—ultimately shattering his chances of qualifying for the Olympics. “Sinabi ko rin (I said), at 25, if I don’t get to qualify for the Olympics, then I’d stop [playing badminton]. And then kasi I think 2016 ‘yung tinitry ko habulin (was the Olympics that I was trying to qualify for), 2014 I got injured,” he explained.

Although his time as a professional badminton player ended abruptly, it only fast-tracked his road to becoming a coach. Only three weeks after suffering his injury, Toby was on a plane to the United States after accepting a job in a badminton center that a former coach offered him. Since then, he has been relentlessly mentoring young athletes by imparting his own knowledge and love for the game.

Even though Toby is happy to be coaching abroad, he is eager to take his talent home to the Philippines and help the national team. Unfortunately, Toby’s lofty goals are met with a lack of support in the local badminton scene. Toby himself has experienced the sparse financial support that prevented him from reaching greater heights. Despite this, he remains hopeful that badminton gets more exposure at the local level which will translate to increased opportunities for aspiring badminton players.

Although he is thousands of miles away from home, Toby’s heart has remained in the Philippines, and for now, he is just grateful to be able to continue being part of the sport he loves.

Onwards and upwards

While these former Atenens are now walking different paths in life, Gabby, Radito, and Toby all share the unique and unparalleled experience of being student-athletes which has molded them into the people they are today. Regardless of wherever they are headed, these student-athletes will continue to fly high, imparting their leadership and talent in their future endeavors.