FROM HUMBLE beginnings in youth clinics to the biggest stage in Philippine collegiate football, the passion and support of these mothers towards their sons have not wavered one bit.
For student-athletes like Marco Salud (1 AB Psychology) and Gabby Busuego (3 BS Management), the respective center-back and midfielder of the Ateneo Men’s Football Team (AMFT), their mothers are prominent figures in their lives. Ginge Salud and Jill Busuego have always had their sons’ backs, supporting Marco and Gabby as they continue to grow in the sport.
Woman behind the scene: Mrs. Salud
One summer, Ginge and her husband Arnold encouraged their youngest and only son, Marco, to join a football camp for him to do something and avoid staying idle at home.
Ginge admits that, despite being shy at first, AMFT’s center-back eventually embraced and grew to love the sport. Seeing her son’s growth from joining little league teams and small competitions to eventually donning the Blue and White in grade school all the way to college, Ginge has never felt so proud of Marco.
An alumna of Ateneo herself, Ginge is no stranger to the Blue and White community. Now as a homemaker, she holds a significant role in running her household and managing the schedules of her four children.
After working in their own business and in the advertising industry, Ginge is now enjoying more free time. Being a full-time mother allows Ginge to relish the things she wasn’t able to do while she was working. She has more time to do things that she loves, such as reading books, traveling, and seeing new places. For the mother of four, Ginge is also enjoying more time for herself, “I’m enjoying all the ‘me time’ that I was able to earn after the years [I] spent working and bringing up the kids.”
Nevertheless, when Marco and his three older sisters were growing up, Ginge reminded them of their responsibilities in school. Proud to have raised all four of her children to be responsible, the former BS Management alumna continues to provide guidance and unwavering support for all of her children in all their respective endeavors.
For her son Marco, Ginge was present in every match as early as the developmental stages of his football career. Now with Marco at the collegiate level and still representing Ateneo, Ginge remains to be supportive whilst giving her son independence.
“I’m his biggest fan. So siyempre [I’m] proud and I’m happy for him that he is where he is in football—from grade school, high school and now college,” Ginge shared. “He’s already 18 and the choice to pursue college football is a choice that he made on his own. So with his sport, we no longer influence his choices anymore.”
Before and after Marco’s games, Ginge and the rest of the Salud family would send simple messages of encouragement to keep him motivated and confident. Not only does Ginge watch Marco’s games but she also collaborates with other football parents to raise funds for the team’s needs. Her husband Arnold, who is a physician, helps in understanding the physical responses of the athletes’ bodies after a game. Evidently, it is a collaborative effort from fellow football parents to help the athletes and the team whenever they can.
Calling on the need for wider support, Ginge hopes that the school administration will recognize the growing support for football and the need to provide equal funds for the sport. “I’ve seen how hard they train and you see how good they are and you know they can get better if they had better support both from the school and the sponsors, and more sponsors,” Ginge added.
Despite the lack of sponsors for the sport, Ginge continues to guide Marco to be a better student-athlete, and, above all, person. Although she’s given her son independence, her constant reminders of maintaining a training-life balance while working hard in his responsibilities remain to be significant for the AMFT center-back.
Seeing Marco grow in all the years she’s witnessed him play, Ginge’s support proves the significance of a parent’s support in allowing their children to pursue their passion. For Ginge, “If [a child doesn’t] or no longer shows any interest in his sport, he also loses the love for what he’s doing… I think allowing them to be happy doing something that they love is important. Allowing breaks from training or school also helps give small breathers from the weight of one’s responsibility as a student athlete.”
Twin strength: Mrs. Busuego
For Jill Busuego, her biggest blessing came in a package of two—her twin sons Gabby and Miggy who both play for Ateneo’s varsity teams. Gabby is a third-year rookie from the Men’s Football Team, while Miggy plays in the Men’s Badminton Team.
Given her work as an entrepreneur, Jill is able to work from home, affording her more time to support her children. She would also try out new sports, with pickleball being her newest interest, to keep herself involved with the kids. Jill witnessed how the twins found their chosen sports as early as the third grade, developed in youth clubs, and blossomed into college standouts.
As for Gabby, who plays as midfielder at the AMFT, Jill recalls how her son woke up and decided to try football. “He just told me one day, ‘Mommy I want to play football.’ Then I said ‘Okay,’ and I went to watch him,” she shared.
After his son’s first game, Jill bought Gabby his first pair of football shoes. Little did they know, it will pave the steps for Gabby’s milestones in his football career.
From youth camps to major competitions, Jill stayed beside Gabby in his development as an all-around player. She was present when Gabby received several Most Valuable Player trophies as the goalkeeper in Xavier School. She could still remember feeling nervous on Gabby’s important games in his earlier years, “When he played as [goal]keeper, I was always hiding because I was so scared. There’s so much responsibility for a keeper, but he likes playing in that position, and I’m really proud of him.”
As Gabby has transitioned to playing as a midfielder in Ateneo, Jill continues being ever-present with her child. In the seven football games in UAAP this season, she was able to watch six of them regardless if Gabby would play. She recounted, “First of all, I will ask them if they want me to watch. Because if they say no and they’re nervous, then I won’t come. It gives me so much joy seeing them do what they love doing.”
Emphasizing how games are important regardless of outcome, Jill would invite her children to eat outside to celebrate both their wins and losses. She especially made her presence felt when Gabby bucked a hard-hitting setback by getting injured in his first AMFT game. Jill shared how she needed to be strong during his son’s recovery, “When he sustained the injury, it [was] really hard for me as a parent to see him heal. Sometimes our kids get frustrated as they wanted to play but could not. As parents, you have to wait and be patient.”
A proud mother to two talented student-athletes, Jill highlights that empowering children to reach their dreams is a parent’s important role, “I remember this mom who’s insisting on sending her kid to a particular sport. It turned out her son liked something else,” she recounted. “If your kids like computers, support them. If they like sports, go for sports. It’s really important for parents to listen to their children because they are guaranteed to excel in passions that make them happy.”
Women as champion-makers
As seen in their children’s soaring careers, Jill and Ginge have truly taken an integral role in building champions by listening to their sons’ newfound happiness in sports. Their support since Day 1 have laid the foundation to Marco and Gabby’s persistence and success in the football field.
However the athletes’ careers might unfold, they know their mothers will be there cheering them on. In the same light, soccer moms Ginge and Jill are perfect examples of how mothers are capable of pushing their children to flourish in passions.
