Team
After a last place finish last season, the Men’s Taekwondo team is looking to instill a winning culture. The current crop of Blue Eagles is a combination of youth and experience. The inflow of new blood, along with the continued improvement from veterans, has the potential to catapult the team from the doldrums.
Team Captain
Jeff Alejandro
Jeff Alejandro has been a mainstay in the Ateneo Taekwondo team ever since he was a freshman in high school. The heavyweight jin, who has experience competing with the national team, hopes that the improvement he has seen from the core players will help them attain a podium finish.
“My style of leadership is to let them decide, always. Kailangan pa rin ng authority, pero bawal na ako lang ang mag-decide para sa team.” (A sense of authority must still be present, but I should not be the sole decision-maker in the team.)
Elijah Buencamino
Competing in the flyweight class, Elijah Buencamino’s role in the team is to keep up the pace. He is often brought in to maintain and defend the score, giving his teammates a steady hand to rely on. The junior Blue Eagle preaches to the younger players not to rely on brute strength alone in fighting.
Ferdz Subido
Like Alejandro, Ferdz Subido has been training with the team since his first year in the Ateneo High School. In his second year with the Blue Eagles, he expects a quicker style of play due to the lack of size that the team possesses, as well as the influx of fast athletes capable of stringing together combos.
Paul Cham
Bantamweight Blue Eagle Paul Cham will finally be suiting up for the team after sitting out last season due to residency issues. The transferee from San Beda College was a consistent medalist in national competitions. He also won a bronze medal two years ago during the Asian Junior Championships in Taiwan.
Stephen Santos
Coming from the La Salle Greenhills Taekwondo Team, Stephen Santos is a promising member of the squad. He does not feel pressure as a rookie, but he still hopes to contribute in claiming the podium finish. Santos won gold in the 2014 Korea Expo and was a consistent medalist in various high school tournaments.
Coach’s Corner
Elmer Rafael
In his second year of coaching the team, coach Elmer Rafael hopes to bring the Men’s Taekwondo team to new heights, after previously guiding the Ateneo Grade School team to consecutive championships.
“This year, for the men’s team, we are expecting at least a first runner-up finish even if we are kulang with players due to the [K to 12 law].”
