When the name Ojay Clarino comes up, most would remember him as the dynamic winger who once roamed the flanks of the pitch, not as the man barking instructions from the sidelines.
But last Sunday told a different story.
Clarino was thrust into the spotlight as the acting coach of University of the Philippines, steering them to a gritty 1-0 win over University of the East in their UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Men’s Football Tournament opener at the Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub.
With his older brother, head coach Popoy Clarino, serving a suspension carried over from last season’s Final Four loss to FEU, the younger Clarino had to step into unfamiliar shoes.
It wasn’t the first time he filled in, but the burden of responsibility remained heavy despite the victory.
“It’s a huge responsibility, of course, trying to lead or coach the players because Coach Popoy is a very experienced coach,” said the former La Salle Green Hills and University of Santo Tomas standout.
“Mataas tingin ng players kay Coach Popoy, so I really have to work extra to really try to guide the way Coach Popoy wants me to guide them.”
Even during post-match interviews, Ojay excused himself mid-question to join the staff’s debriefing with Coach Popoy, eager to discuss what went right and wrong against UE.
It showed the delicate balance he is treading — carrying authority in his brother’s absence while continuing to learn under his mentorship.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
The 35-year-old, himself a former national team player, admits he is still far from imagining a permanent shift into full-time coaching.
“Well, let’s see. I’m still trying to learn from my mentor — Coach Popoy. I know I’m in good hands. Yun lang masasabi ko. We’ll see,” he said.
“As a coach, I still have a lot of things to improve on. When it comes to the players, how to really motivate them, how to really push them, how to read them and how they respond. For me, I still have a lot to improve on as a coach.”
For now, his focus is on helping the Fighting Maroons regain the championship they last captured in Season 86.
That mission won’t come easy, with the return of the twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four and the season stretching until January to accommodate the Southeast Asian Games in December.
Still, Ojay prefers to concentrate on what he can control — being an extension of his brother on the touchline while absorbing lessons that will shape his own growth in the sport.
“We’ll never know,” he said.
“There are a lot of factors that could happen. We’ll take it one game at a time. We’ll focus on the next game and after that the next game. We have to adjust differently for every team. Hopefully, results will come and players will respond positively.”
