From the Sidelines is a feature series that seeks to profile talented individuals who work behind the scenes in contributing to the greater success of Ateneo sports. In its twelfth installment, we get to know Severino Sarmenta Jr. PhD, an educator and television sports anchor who has imbued excellence in former Atenean student-athletes such as Marga Delos Reyes and Gretchen Ho.

LOYOLA SCHOOLS lecturer and retired Assistant Professor Severino Sarmenta Jr. PhD—or Sir Sev, as his students call him—has equipped Atenean student-athletes with the tools needed to thrive in the communication industry for 35 years. While Sir Sev has made his invaluable impact within the walls of the classroom, he continues to play a role in his students’ careers post-graduation. Among the Ateneans he has taught are former Ateneo Women’s Track and Field Team Captain Marga Delos Reyes and Fabulous 5 member Gretchen Ho.

Beyond the impact he’s left on his students, Sir Sev’s work as a sportscaster has allowed him to showcase the memorable moments of athletes nationwide since 1986. These contributions from Sir Sev as an educator and sportscaster exemplify his devotion to cultivating communication within the Philippines.

Immersion into the field 

After graduating from the Loyola Schools with a degree in AB Communication in 1978, Sir Sev pursued a career in fields like advertising, copywriting, business, and freelance work.

Already a young professional by 1982, Sir Sev taught tertiary communication in St. Joseph’s College Quezon City then the University of the Philippines Diliman to enliven the advertising and public relations fields for students. After lecturing in these two universities, he opted to teach in his alma mater and became a member of the Loyola Schools faculty in 1985.

Sir Sev’s talents were not limited to the academe; he had a knack for making entertaining impersonations of the late sports anchor Joe Cantada during college cheer rallies. In 1986, Sir Sev was encouraged by a video director to utilize this talent and make a name for himself in sportscasting. He then auditioned for the PBA’s Vintage radio panel where he was ultimately accepted—pairing this new career with his teaching one.

After spending 10 years at Vintage, Sir Sev worked for other companies such as ABS-CBN and the People’s Television Network to cover a plethora of sports leagues as a television sports anchor. From 1997 to 2010, some of the most notable events he covered were the Sydney 2000 Olympics and the University Athletic Association of the Philippines. More recently, he covered the Tokyo 2020 Olympics for TV5, Cignal, and One Sports.

Given his extensive experience behind the microphone, Sir Sev recognizes that showcasing the journeys of Filipino athletes on television is essential to the country’s prolonged success in sports. According to him, “The role of sports media is to continue to tell these stories [to serve as] inspiration, motivation, and guidance to the present and next generation.”

Although Sir Sev immersed himself in sports media, he did not sideline his dedication to teaching. Since being employed in the Ateneo, he has effectively taught Public Relations and a variety of communication courses to Ateneans. Sir Sev has also guided seniors as a thesis advisor for 24 years and served as the chair of the University’s Communication Department until 2017.

As Sir Sev has logged 35 years in the educational field, the opportunity to learn from his students is what drives him to continue teaching. “The nice thing about teaching is that you’re learning [and] you teach some very smart people who have the opportunity to become game-changers. That’s gratifying, and no amount of money is going to replace the joy of catching young people in college,” he shared.

Profound impact

Recognizing that a strong work ethic is pivotal for his students to succeed in the field of communication, Sir Sev has practiced a teaching style that pushes them to excel. “My favorite expression is ‘We will squeeze the fruit until the juice comes out.’ As young as you are right now in my class, I will see how far you can go and how you can take it,” he mentioned.

Given his background in sports journalism, Sir Sev has also had his fair share of student-athletes in his classes. Delos Reyes, whom Sir Sev mentored in the curtailed semester of AY 2019-2020, is just one of many Atenean student-athletes that Sir Sev has cultivated.

Despite being his student for only two months, Delos Reyes managed to acquire practical lessons from Sir Sev that help with her project manager role today. Delos Reyes stated, “[Sir Sev] helped us veer away from using too many flowery words and be more direct and clear with my writing style. This helps me a lot now when I report and make content because being concise while getting the message across is essential.”

Moreover, Sir Sev’s style of conducting classes with a mix of humor and communication expertise taught former students like Delos Reyes to find fulfillment in their careers. “Today, I always try to see the fun in my work even when it gets exhausting, and I have Sir Sev to thank for that,” the former captain remarked.

Delos Reyes’ experience with Sir Sev is only one among many stories of the educator’s impact on his students through his lessons imparted in the classroom. However, beyond these lessons are the habits and attitudes that he hopes to be takeaways for his students upon completing his class.

“When my students leave, they [should] be fired enough to be endlessly curious, passionate, and flexible in understanding how communication works,” Sir Sev stated.

Continuous learning and mentorship

While Sir Sev is understandably unable to keep in touch with all his students, others like television host Gretchen Ho continue to seek his advice when confronted with career-related concerns. Sir Sev then provides these graduates with the best advice he can offer. However, he also acknowledges that they are now professionals who are capable of deciding for themselves.

Simultaneously, Sir Sev is aided by his previous students who are avid sports fans like Ho when he needs information necessary for his sportscasting work. Ho has also helped Sir Sev in imparting professional advice to his students when he invited the former Lady Eagle to discuss her Donate a Bike, Save a Job campaign in his class last September.

Given these experiences, Sir Sev is pleased that the relationship between him and some of his former students endures as a two-way mentorship today. According to Sir Sev, “I find myself also learning from them [and] their experiences as well, so it’s been a marvelous opportunity to extend life beyond the communication department and our boundaries in Katipunan.”

Imbuing excellence

Sir Sev has prepared generations of Atenean student-athletes for their endeavors in the professional setting in his 35 years of teaching while also extending his mentorship to those who seek it. While Sir Sev pursues promoting his students’ growth as a professor, his work as a television sportscaster serves as a timeless source of inspiration for Filipino athletes. Considering Sir Sev’s undying dedication to being an educator and sports anchor—the development of local communication and sports will be harnessed for years to come.