It was during the end of the 1999 season when Ateneo realized that basketball was fast-becoming an integral aspect of the university. The alumni were so concerned and they began to question what was wrong with the team? Not long after, those involved decided to take a concrete step in reorganizing the Ateneo basketball program. Before then it was run by some members of the alumni and "whoever was interested." Alas! Running a collegiate team required more than interest in the game.
Monchito Mossessgeld, former Purefoods manager in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), was appointed by the school to be team manager of the Blue Eagles. First step was to identify the main objective of the program. Chaplain and coordinator Fr. Tito Caluag, stressed, "We want to win. But we cannot sacrifice our academic standards. They are students first, and then players."
This take on the collegiate hoop program makes Ateneo very special and unique. While everyone else focuses on winning, Ateneo is hoping to strike a good balance between academics and basketball. In fact, everytime they take in a player, the caveat is — "There are only two things you have to worry about: 1) do well in your studies, and 2) excel in basketball. All other things are secondary."
The Eagles are forced to work hard. It’s partly the signal of the school that though they are valued as players, in the end they have to be students first. If they lose their student status, then they have to say goodbye to playing. Like parents whose hearts bleed everytime they have to set strict rules for or discipline their child in order to correct his ways and prepare him for the future, Ateneo is doing the same with the Blue Eagles.
Although this is commendable, the emphasis on high academic standards has also proven to be the Ateneo basketball program’s handicap. Fr. Caluag revealed that they have lost two terrific pointguards because of this. One went on to give his school a couple of championships and has skyrocketed to popularity in the PBA because of his impressive game.
To resolve this, the program aims to develop homegrown talents. "We will try to get them young. Move them along the system to get them ready for college, " explained Fr. Caluag, also a respected figure in Ateneo. But it’s not always that simple. Not all high-impact players are homegrown. Players like Magnum Membrere, LA Tenorio and Rich Alvarez aren’t true-blue Ateneans.
Ateneo makes sure that there is academic support available to players who need it. Prospective recruits are measured according to their skills. But it’s not all basketball talent. Their grades are also checked by the Ateneo recruitment group. After that, they are made to go through a review program to prepare them for the Ateneo College Entrance Test (ACET). And then they are enrolled in a month-long summer course that concentrates on Math, Science, and reasoning skills to set them up for college.
Getting in is not easy. The players, of course, still have to pass the ACET. And once in, there is still no guarantee. The only assurance is that the talented (and lucky!) players will be given all the assistance they will need to survive.
One example is Player A who has a dedicated tutor assigned to him. The teacher is a graduate student who doesn’t help anybody else but this star player who makes things happen inside the court but apparently has problems passing his subjects. But credit his and his tutor’s dedication nonetheless. They study for 6-8 hours straight before an important exam. And tutor stays with student/player until one or two in the morning.
Fr. Caluag observed that the critical part for every student is the first year. Freshman year is make or break for players. Within the year, they have to adjust to the demands of college life and balance it out with the sport they love with a passion. Hence, Ateneo officials supervise and monitor the studies of these collegiate stars very closely.
Player B had this problem. After his first semester, he got an exact 1.8 QPI. To pass the term, he needed another 1.8 in the next. Fr.Caluag recalled that during that time, his office, admissions and academics offices burned the lines to monitor Player B’s standing. "We were like the stock market," joked the well-loved Fr.Caluag. Whenever the player scored low on a quiz, everyone was down. Whenever he scored high, everyone was jumping for joy!
Magnum Membrere, one of the top recruits of the year was torn between Ateneo and La Salle. Ateneo gave him the same offer all the other players get– scholarship, allowance (according to need), dormitory, and tutoring support. But beyond these offers, Fr. Caluag asked the parents to let their son decide. "Unless he decides on his own, he won’t stick by his decision. When difficulty sets in the academics, he will give up. He will not persevere," he reasoned knowing that Ateneo demands a lot from players in terms of academics.
Little did they know that long before the dilemma presented itself, Membrere already made up his mind. When he was in grade school, living in the province, one of his cousins who lived abroad showed him a recruitment tape of one of the universities in the States. Seeing that Membrere liked what he saw, his cousin told him that there was a campus similar to that one in Manila—Ateneo de Manila University.
Right there and then, this shooting guard decided to aim for Ateneo. He told himself he was going to study in Katipunan though he didn’t know how. Now, he tells Fr. Caluag that it was a dream come true.
To be concluded in next week’s article—Ateneo Reloaded
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