A reunion of some sort will happen when Santa Rosa City clashes with National University-Sta. Elena on Saturday in the Spikers’ Turf Open Conference.
This as Lions head coach Edu Lirio handled Nationals’ Joshua Retamar and Nico Almendras back in their high school days.
And to see the once-kids grow as men, nonetheless in the country’s first and only men’s league organized by Sports Vision, makes Lirio one proud coach.
“For NU good luck po sa aking mga dating anak. Dalawa po ‘yung anak ko doon si Joshua Retamar saka si Nico Almendras so good luck sa kanila,” said the Santa Rosa bench tactician.
“Very proud ako sa mga batang iyon kasi si Joshua Retamar is my player Grade 7 pa po siya hanggang Grade 12. Marami kaming pinagsamahan nung batang ‘yon even Nico.”
But as an educator, nothing beats seeing your students wear that toga, go up on stage, and get that diploma.
And when that moment happens for the two NU-Sta. Elena’s cogs, who have already represented the country internationally, Lirio can say that the job is done.
“Super proud ako na they represent the Philippines na in a higher level pero para po sa akin, hinihintay ko po is makagraduate ‘yung dalawa. ‘Yun ‘yung pinakatrophy ko.”
On Saturday though, all attention of Lirio will be on his team composed of 18-year-old players and younger.
After all, the cycle of molding good players to being great never stops.
“Pero for me, si Daddy Edu ay nasa mga bata muna ngayon. Again, itong mga batang ito hindi sila magpapatalo.”
