Former Colegio de San Juan de Letran Knights head coach Aldin Ayo got the blessing from Letran officials and community to transer to the De La Salle University Green Archers Friday evening.
Letran’s championship celebration and banner raising became a thanksgiving celbration as Ayo was serenaded by cheers as he went on stage to address the Letranites about his impending move from Muralla Street to Taft Avenue.
Coach Ayo opened in saying that he had no time to even celebrate the championship due to the hectic demands of being a councilor in Sorsogon. “Una kong sasabihin, it has been a month na nanalo tayo pero I haven’t celebrated this championship,” he opened. “Hindi ko naramdaman ang pagkapanalo. Puro trabaho lang ang ginawa ko.”
“Nawala sa akin ang lahat. Na-burnout ako,” he disclosed. “Na-miss ko lahat. Na-miss ko yung team ko at hinanap ko yung mga players ko.”
Ayo then went straight to the point in addressing his impending transfer to La Salle in saying, “Ayokong magsabi ng kung ano-ano. Straight to the point, next year I will not be around. Ang dahilan, it’s very personal.”
According to him, he did not return to Manila for a while because the people of Sorsogon needs him but then La Salle came calling. As rumors circulated that his La Salle deal was about finances, reportedly Php 250,00 a month for three years, or politically-motivated, since La Salle booster Ramon Conjuangco Jr. is the head of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, Ayo debunked all of this in saying, “sinubukan ko itong bagong challenge na ito. New environment, new opportunity.”
“It’s not about the money because I myself have enough. It’s not even the politics [ambitions].”
“Everything I do, I will always make Letran proud,” Ayo closed. “I love Letran. I’m always here for Letran. Arriba Letran!”
From there, Letran’s rector Father Clarence Marquez, OP, who was on stage, declared: “we embrace this ‘parting of ways’, as part of God’s thoughts and ways.”
The formal introduction of Coach Aldin Ayo as La Salle’s Men Basketball team’s head coach will happen on the second week of December.
