When Tony Koyfman took the floor last Sunday against PLDT, nobody knew aside from his close friends and teammates, that it will be his swansong for the 2019 Spikers’ Turf Reinforced Conference.
“I’ll be leaving Thursday for family reasons. It’s something that I couldn’t control tapos since I already graduated and you know, at the moment I also don’t have any opportunities to work so might as well work back home,” said Koyfman following their straight sets loss against the Power Hitters.
“It is pretty big kasi it was unexpected at first, if anything I really don’t plan on leaving kasi I’m so comfortable dito. It’s just something that is beyond my control.”
The 25-year-old will be coming back home to New York — his hometown on Thursday.
Despite not getting the send-off he wanted, Koyfman, who averaged 15.38 points per game this conference, is beyond grateful to VNS for giving him the opportunity to represent them in the Spikers’ Turf.
“It was wonderful, wonderful talaga. I enjoyed every single minute of it and siyempre I don’t regret at all being with this team. Sure, we suffered a number of losses, a number of heartaches and I guess everyone has seen me frustrated in more ways than one,” said Koyfman as he leaves VNS with a 2-6 slate.
“I’m not playing in this team for money, I did it for the love of the game. I really did it for the love of the game kasi the fact that I still get to do what I love and make friends and have more opportunities, pwede, I don’t mind.”
Moreover, he is more than thankful to Ateneo for making his dreams of being a spiker come true.
After staying in the Philippines for almost five years, an emotional Koyfman admitted that it will be very hard for him to leave a place that has taught him a bunch of wonderful lessons that shaped him to become the person he is today.
The Philippines – as Koyfman bared, has taught him to be open to new ideas, the meaning of acceptance, and to be grateful no matter how big or small the opportunity is.
“Ang dami talaga, [like] always being open to new ideas, it’s my one thing kasi when it comes to food, ang daming Pinoy food na sobrang masarap even if it looks weird. Being open to that leads to new friendships, leads to much more memories and it definitely shaped my life to really appreciating who I am and what I do,” said Koyfman.
“I guess another thing would be acceptance, ‘cause there are times where I thought it would go one way, but then life would literally like smack me across the face and say no and instead of complaining about it, I dealt with it. In the end, the fact that I still somehow got what I wanted, I couldn’t ask for anything more so yeah.”
Koyfman, however, is not closing any doors as he mulls to come back and stay in the Philippines for good.
Photo by Gelay Davocol/SportsVision
“For sure it’s not gonna be like the end for me being here because I feel like deep down the road, I might stay here for good kasi I love it here talaga and it’s one thing to go away from it,” said Koyfman.
“I always take it to heart, that wherever will I go if anyone talks about the Philippines, I’m gonna be like, ‘Why are you messing with my home.'”
