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 this thirteenth installment, we take a look at goalkeeping coach Jerwin Belina and his interesting journey through the beautiful game.
THE ATENEO Men’s Football Team (AMFT) has been one of the more successful teams in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) as of late, winning two of the last three championships. Overall, the Blue Eagles have a well balanced squad filled with exciting attackers, graceful midfielders, and a rock-solid backline. However, the steady and ever-reliable piece in these championship teams is the last line of defense–the goalkeeper.
While most of the keepers in the Atenean program have been gaining praise for their heroics on the field, there is a man behind the scenes who has molded these players into the elite shot stoppers they became for their teams. Goalkeeping Coach Jerwin Belina has played an invaluable role in bringing about the winning legacy of not only the Men’s program but the Women’s team as well.
Locking the post
Hailing from Calapan City in Oriental Mindoro, Belina discovered the beautiful game later than most–having been introduced to the sport by his intramurals coach when he was already a junior in high school. Given that he had a background in athletics and because forwards in football are usually the fastest players in the team, Belina was first slotted up front. His stint as an attacker was short lived, however, due to the fact that his team needed someone in between the sticks.
The young Coah Jerwin quickly caught on to the role of goalkeeper, and after a year of experience and training in Polytechnic College of Calapan in Oriental Mindoro, he was recruited to play for the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP). After earning his stripes in his first two seasons, he became PUP’s starting keeper during his junior and senior years at the collegiate level.
Following his graduation from college, Coach Jerwin took up a masteral course in Ateneo de Manila University, as he was recommended by then-Atenean footballer JP Merida to Coach Ompong Merida as a replacement for an injured keeper of the AMFT. However, Coach Jerwin knew that playing time was not a guarantee given that the Blue Booters already possessed a formidable squad that had just won a championship in UAAP Season 66.
Due to this, Coach Jerwin rode the bench for most of his first year with the Blue and White. After the starting keeper of the previous year left, the time finally came for him to show his prowess–and he did not disappoint. The Blue Booters were on the cusp of history after winning back-to-back championships. Gunning for the rare three-peat, Coach Jerwin was named the starting goalkeeper during his final year in Ateneo.
En route to the famous three-peat, Coach Jerwin posted outstanding numbers. In the 11 games he played that season, he kept 10 clean sheets and only conceded one goal. As a result of his amazing displays on the field, he was awarded the UAAP’s Best Goalkeeper for Season 68.
Looking back at his playing stint with the Ateneo, Coach Jerwin recalls it being one of the happiest years of his life so far. “Pangarap ko talaga. For me, yung UAAP talaga yung pinakamagandang collegiate league sa buong Pilipinas, so nung nag-champion kami, I’m very happy talaga na syempre nagkaroon ako ng championship ring,” he shared.
(It was my dream. For me, the UAAP is really the greatest collegiate league in the Philippines so when we became champions, I was very happy that I got a championship ring.)
Beyond the box
After reaching the pinnacle of Philippine collegiate football, Belina attempted to pursue a professional playing career with the Loyola Meralco Sparks in the United Football League. However, when Coach Jerwin felt that it was time to hang up his cleats, he found his new calling in another facet of football—coaching. Luckily, after playing for the Blue Eagles and while serving in his stint for the Sparks, Coach Jerwin got picked up by Ateneo as a coach for the Ateneo Women’s Football Team (AWFT).
Following a 10-year stint with the AWFT, Coach Jerwin was recruited by current Ateneo Men’s Football Team Head Coach JP Merida to join his coaching staff. It is safe to say that Coach Jerwin’s tenure as the goalkeeping coach for AMFT has been a huge success so far.
A championship-winning goalkeeper himself, Coach Jerwin acknowledges that the AMFT goalkeepers have been a big part of the Men’s program’s recent dominance. “Yung goalkeeping ngayon napaka-importante nito sa team. ‘Yun nga sinasabi namin na kapag magaling yung goalkeeper mo, mas malaki yung chance na mag-champion kayo. Kasi katulad niyan, si AJ Arcilla. Swerte tayo kasi tayo yung pinili ni AJ Arcilla,” he added.
(Goalkeeping is a very important position in the team. Like they always say, if your goalkeeper is good, there’s a good chance you’ll win the championship. Just like in the case of AJ Arcilla. We’re lucky because we [Ateneo] were the ones who AJ picked to play for in college.)
When it comes to his coaching philosophy, the main thing that Coach Jerwin tries to instill in every goalkeeper that he has ever worked with in the Atenean program is discipline. Whether it be on or off the field, Coach Jerwin says that giving your 100 percent to something comes a long way in a student-athlete’s success.
Along with committing to football, Coach Jerwin also promotes balancing sports and academics. “Yung pagiging student-athlete napakahirap kailangan i-balance nila yun. Hindi pwedeng puro football tapos syempre ‘di rin pwedeng puro aral kasi dalawa yung pinili mo. Kaya kailangan i-balance mo talaga,” he said.
(Being a student-athlete is a very difficult thing that [players] need to balance. Of course, it’s not just about football all the time or academics all the time. You chose between two things; that’s why you have to balance both.)
Clean sheet
Not only does Coach Jerwin expect excellence and respect on the field, he also wants his players to be humble off the pitch as well. In victory and in defeat, he explains that being gracious in these moments is what makes each Blue Eagle a champion in their own right.
“Matalo o manalo, humble lang dapat tayo. Hindi ko ipinagmamayabang na si ‘Coach Jerwin 10 wins, one draw, and one conceded goal’ lang. Di ko siya sinasabi sa mga players yun, sabi ko kasi sarili ko be humble lang parati. (Win or lose, we always have to be humble. I don’t boast about how I went undefeated and only conceded 1 goal. I don’t tell the players these things because I always say to myself to always be humble),” acclaimed Coach Jerwin.
Now in his 15th year of coaching in Ateneo, Coach Jerwin has experienced highs and lows that have shaped him into the mentor that he is today. To him, as a player and now as a coach, sacrifice is the main lesson that he has learned throughout his tenure with the Blue and White.
Jerwin Belina as a player would sacrifice off-days to train when the season was approaching. On the other hand, Jerwin Belina as a coach would sacrifice time with his family so that he could be with the team. All of those factors are what led him to become one of the UAAP’s best goalkeepers and an integral cog in Ateneo football’s recent triumphs.
