ALDIN Ayo’s rise to the top of the coaching ranks in the Philippines is as fast as his BMW R nineT Option 719 classic roadster.
He slowly and surely worked hard for it starting from the bottom.
The new Converge coach recalled his previous spell in the PBA as the video coordinator of the Mahindra Enforcer in the 2014-15 season, laying the foundation for his ascent in the coaching scene that has seen him win two collegiate championships.
Aldin Ayo on time as video coordinator
“I’ve learned a lot from that experience,” Ayo said on SPIN Zoom In. “I was really, really happy that I had that kind of job because para akong CCTV eh.”
Before getting his big break with the Kia franchise, Ayo used to coach a 12-under team in his native Sorsogon. He would soak in all the basketball lessons he could get, so much so that he wouldn’t mind the long travel to the Big City just to learn from camps.
“Gustong-gusto ko matuto eh,” Ayo, now 44, said. “Grabe yung enthusiasm ko kasi when I was in Sorsogon. I used to travel to Manila for 14 hours and attend a one-hour basketball camp or basketball clinic.”
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And when the Mahindra offer came, Ayo didn’t think twice.
“Nung nalaman ko yan, sabi ko, ‘PBA na ‘to tapos yung trabaho ko pa video coordinator, ang dami kong matututunan dito,” Ayo said. “So I was really fortunate that I was given that kind of job because it really helped me with my career.”
Ayo would record videos of the Enforcer’s games as well as that of their opponents and he would splice them before presenting them to the team during viewing sessions.
After a year with team, Ayo landed the Letran head-coaching job and wasted no time in making a name for himself by leading the Knights to the 2015 NCAA title, before doing the same for La Salle in the UAAP the following year.
Just seven years after that video coordinator gig, Ayo is now one of the only 12 PBA coaches, tasked to lead the FiberXers deeper in the playoffs.
He took a similar path as that of Miami Heat’s Erik Spoelstra, who also started in the video room before rising to becoming a two-time NBA champion coach and being named to the Top 15 Coaches in NBA history.
Now the one giving camps and clinics, Ayo would often advice coaching aspirants to start at the bottom.
“Even now, yung mga coaches na nag-uumpisa, I always advise them that if you really want to get that job, you have to be a video coordinator. Makikita mo lahat and you’re going to learn a lot.”
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