NOT MANY athletes can say that they were destined for greatness at a young age. It is a rare gift, only bestowed upon generational talents, whose promise is quietly cultivated even before stepping into the limelight. For Dov Cariño, that path to excellence has been carved out ever since his first kicks of the ball.

Now in his third year with the Blue Eagles, Cariño continues to bring his touch of flair and brilliance in the collegiate scene. Following an unprecedented showing in his University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) return last Season 87, the standout forward has been steadily cementing his place amongst Ateneo’s greats.

Beyond his feats in the UAAP, Cariño has also earned the honor of representing the country on numerous occasions. With stellar performances on the international stage, the 21-year-old has established himself as a foundational piece of Philippine football, a talent poised to steer the national team’s success in the years to come.

Young prodigy

Finding his roots in Loyola Heights, Cariño first encountered the sport when his parents enrolled him in the Ateneo Football Center. Although Cariño initially took the discipline for fun, his parents recognized his potential and gradually introduced him to more competitive training and tournaments as he rose through the youth ranks.

In particular, the current Ateneo Men’s Football Team Co-Captain attributes much of his athletic development to his father, a football aficionado, who drove him to excel in the game. “My father pushed me; he helped me. He would watch every game and tell me what I needed to improve and how to get better at the game,” the former junior midfielder shared.

His talent stood out early on, pushing him to compete against players two to three years older than him. At just the seventh grade, Cariño already represented the Ateneo Juniors Team in the UAAP—a feat that young athletes of that age could only dream of. 

The young prodigy’s early brilliance did not go unnoticed, as he was eventually offered a scholarship program to study and play football in the British International School, Phuket (BISP) in Thailand.

Reflecting on his time in Phuket, Cariño highlighted how his exposure to high-caliber training and top-notch competition harnessed his budding skillset and arsenal at that time. “The school got us the best facilities and coaching staff that we could get and all the opportunities to play abroad,” the BISP alumnus recalled.

With a bevy of global footballing experience under his belt, Cariño would finally fulfill a lifelong dream in 2022 when he first suited up for the national team at the Under-19 ASEAN Championship.

The Philippine Team mainstay mentioned how representing the country has always been the goal ever since he started playing football. “Every time I put the jersey on, it’s one of the best feelings an athlete can have,” the midfield sensation shared.

Lacing up

After years of developing his talents abroad, Cariño’s homecoming to the Blue and White represented more than just a return. Instead, it was a testament to his hard work and dedication, as the star reunited with the home ground that first shaped him into who he is, on and off the field. “I’m very happy to be back. Knowing that I was going back to the Philippines, it was really only Ateneo on my mind,” said the UAAP stalwart.

However, returning back to Katipunan is not just about donning the Ateneo jersey once more, as Cariño also hopes to leave a legacy behind.

“I guess, [I] just [want] to leave behind a memory of what kind of player I was, and what kind of person I was in school. [I want] to be able to balance both football and academics and, to be an example to the younger generation that if you are in school, you have to be able to balance both,” he shared.

This kind of commitment to excellence was evident last Season 87, as Cariño lived up to the hype, bagging the best midfielder award and the Golden Boot en route to a second-place finish. Throughout the year, the roster dominated the regular season, securing a 9-1-2 win-loss-draw record, claiming the first seed, and solidifying their spot as the favorites heading into the playoffs. However, the team eventually lost on penalties to the Far Eastern University Tamaraws, 2-3, in the finals.

Hence, Cariño admitted that despite all of their accolades and individual successes, last season left a bittersweet taste for the entire squad. 

“We started off really good, but we lost the final game. We took home a lot of individual trophies, but at the end of the day, we [all] would have wanted to win the tournament and come home with the gold. It was fulfilling in some ways, but it also left some hunger in us to be able to finish what we started,” the young skipper remarked.

Taking the mantle

This hunger has fueled the team more than ever to build upon their success last season and compete for yet another trophy. However, with the departure of key players and individual awardees such as former captain Leo Maquiling, defender Jet Dela Cruz, and goalkeeper Artuz Cezar, the Blue Eagles have a lot on their plate to rebuild their lineup and maintain a winning culture in the program.

“Of course, those players had a huge role in our season last year. They brought the experience and the leadership with them, and most of them were our starting players, so they really helped us a lot. [Hence], losing them is sad. But now that we have new players coming in, we have to kind of let go of the players that we lost and focus on the team we have right now,” Cariño said.

This laser-sharp focus has shaped the Blue Eagles’ entire offseason game plan as they prepare for this year’s challenges. Determined to succeed, the team has trained rigorously, in addition to joining the Tuloy Invitational Cup to build chemistry, fine-tune tactics, and integrate new players on the squad.

Now entering his third season and his first year as Co-Captain, Cariño will look to weather the storm and man the helm, carrying the responsibility to guide this roster through this upcoming chapter. 

“I remember coming into the team as the youngest, so it’s weird being one of the oldest [now]. Having this role now motivates me to be able to help my teammates and be a leader in some ways. Hopefully, we get a good season out of this,” he added. 

Despite the departure of key veteran players, Cariño and the entire squad are determined to pursue greatness no matter what challenges lie ahead. Ignited by their desire to redeem themselves after falling short last season, the sky is the limit for this revamped core as Cariño looks to lead the Blue Eagles in their chase to make their mark on UAAP history.