NOTHING motivates players than hearing their supporters cheer their lungs out whenever they hit the floor.
But more than anyone else in the stands, there's probably no one more important watching from the sidelines than their own mothers.
Sports fans have actually had their fair share of proud mommas over the years.
Top of mind is Mozzy Ravena, the volleyball star-turned-matriarch of the Ravena family. She has long been a classy presence on the stands, together with her husband Bong, as they cheered on their children Kiefer, Thirdy, and Dani.
And who could forget Susan Teng, the vivacious wife of 'Robocop' Alvin Teng, who has been a fixture on the sidelines over the years, supporting sons Jeric and Jeron?
As the mother's day nears, SPIN Life gives a toast to some of the other moms who were constant presence from the crowd, supporting their children in their own different yet very special ways.
Ren Ildefonso
All eyes will always be on Danny Ildefonso, the two-time PBA MVP who at times will be seen coaching his sons Dave and Shaun from afar.
But Ren is never far behind, watching intently and silently cheering on her sons.
Her calm and disarming presence is always a welcome yang to Lakay's yin as the mother of five has played a tremendous role in the success of their family's business in Pangasinan. She's an essential part of her children's success in the sports they chose, with Shaun and Dave going with basketball and Pia in triathlon and now volleyball.
Girlie Nieto
Like the Ildefonsos, much has been written about the contributions of Jet Nieto to the careers of his twin sons Mike and Matt.
But equally impactful for the development of their family of six is mommy Girlie, who is a silent supporter for her sons' exploits.
Having that kind of stable support system should already be reason enough to see why the Nietos have always succeeded wherever they went, from Ateneo to Gilas Pilipinas and soon, in the PBA.
Anna Gomez de Liano
The GDLs truly come in bunches. Wherever dad Bert goes, mom Anna will always be there.
Ever supportive is the lovely pair, that they will always be seen sitting beside each other on courtside whenever Javi, Juan, Joe, or Jordi take the court. Dad Bert closely watches the action like a hawk, while mom Anna can at times be seen praying her rosary for a win.
But this support is not limited on the court. The GDLs actively interact with their sons' supporters online as their joint Twitter account now has close to 7,000 followers.
Abigail Rivero
One can only imagine the stresses of having such a celebrity-filled family.
But Abigail Rivero has found a way to make it work, with the mother of seven being the gentle presence for the Rivero household.
The Rivero matriarch has been behind her children through the good and bad, and it's not just limited to the on-court success of her sons led by Prince and Ricci, but as well in the showbiz foray of Ricci and her husband Paolo.
Rowena Cansino
CJ Cansino's mom Rowena hasn't been shy in cheering on her son, standing out from the crowd as she wears CJ's team colors.
That has been the case from his high school days to his first two years in University of Santo Tomas, and it certainly won't change in his new home in University of the Philippines.
We bet you won't have much difficulty finding CJ's proud mama once the action resumes.