UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas head coach Kungfu Reyes didn’t mince his words upon ruing what he alluded to as an untimely player exit from España’s grassroots program.
Following UST's four-set loss to La Salle in the UAAP Season 87 women's volleyball second-seed playoff, Reyes went on an uninterrupted, eight-minute harangue to talk about the recent past and the foreseeable future of the school's volleyball program.
READ: La Salle tops UST to take second seed, twice-to-beat advantage
Without delving into specifics, Reyes alluded to an incident in which a senior high school player of theirs was recruited by a rival school even after already training and seeing action for the Junior Growling Tigresses.
While the 44-year-old mentor acknowledged the intensified nature of today’s college recruitment scene, he did emphasize how UST has always put a premium on building than buying players — a practice he’d hope other schools would replicate.
“Proud kami na may kumukuha sa program namin. Yung iba naman, may grassroot programs din at hindi lang din naman kami nagiging biktima nito — even sa basketball or other sports,” Reyes said.
“Ang downside lang, we invest too much time and siyempre yung sacrifice rin namin ng coaches, the same thing sa mga bata.
“Nawalan kami ng opportunity to offer yung skills namin kasi nandu’n na yung college level ‘eh. Yung pag-recruit ng Grade 11, very unethical somehow pero ‘yun na yung nagiging kalakaran ‘eh. Unfortunately, nagkakaroon ng cases na ganito.”
Luring high school players during their tenure in another school’s grassroots program is an ‘unethical’ yet inevitable practice in Reyes’ view, even if it has seemingly been normalized in college leagues today.
“Mino-mold namin yung mga bata na yan in preparation para dito sa college [team]. They have also the free will to choose kung saan man sila pupunta, pero huwag [naman] sa middle ng Grade 11 ‘eh kasi meron pang Grade 12,” Reyes said.
“Kami rin naman, nagre-recruit din kami from other provinces, pero hindi kami nakikialam sa grassroots program sa kapwa namin na nasa UAAP kasi alam namin ‘yung tama na pagkuha ng mga player and with due respect na lang din sa mga coaches nila.
“Hindi naman ito bago, sanay naman kami masaktan kahit papaano pero huwag ka lang dapat bibitaw.”
‘You can’t buy loyalty’
One thing that can’t be taken away from Reyes and UST is the formidable stature of its grassroots program that has produced a handful of rising stars in the seniors ranks then and now.
The likes of decorated UST aces Angge Poyos, Detdet Pepito, Reg Jurado, and Marga Altea from the current crop of Golden Tigresses were all products of UST’s grassroots program.
That alone, for Reyes, is the greatest badge of honor there could be for a program bent not only on building stars, but also preaching the indispensable value of gratitude and loyalty.
“Ang sa’kin lang, mas gusto kong maalala nila kung paano sila pumasok sa’min na from zero to hero, na from nothing to something, na we’re on the right track na sana,” Reyes said.
“Marami pang bata na pupunta, pero regardless, hindi lang ito yung taon na nangyayari ‘yan, pero we’re still optimistic kasi meron kami Detdet Pepito na mula Grade 7 nandito sa amin, meron kaming Marga Altea kasi you can’t buy loyalty.”
A Thomasian through and through, Reyes highlighted how wearing the black-and-gold has been his life’s greatest honor — one that no material offers can ever buy nor take away from him.
“Ako, from naging estudyante ako hanggang sa nagtrabaho ako, for the love of the game lang naman ito at yung love for the school. I will be grateful for UST hanggang sa nabubuhay ako at hangga’t gusto nila na nandiyan kami, nandiyan kami,” Reyes said.
“Hindi naman sa pagba-brag, pero nasa UST ka na ‘eh, kuha ka na ng diploma sa UST, then after that, pwede ka kumuha ng diploma sa La Salle, Ateneo, or whatsoever.
“Those things, ‘yun ‘yung gusto namin maituro sa bata na somehow maging grateful. Nasa tamang panahon naman talaga dapat, siguro lang may mga ibang bulong na they can’t resist the offers.”
‘You won’t earn my respect’
Reyes refused to disclose any names or schools involved during his quick chat with reporters on the subject of recruitment-related activities surrounding the school.
However, social media has went abuzz over the last few days on the alleged move of two-time UAAP girls’ volleyball bronze medalist and Junior Growling Tigresses captain Jaila Adrao to another champion program in the league.
Without naming the champion program in question, Reyes made a bold assertion that success earned through what he deemed to be ‘unethical’ practices won’t ever beget respect.
“Maybe they won the championship, pero kung medyo unethical ang pangyayari, you won’t get my respect whatever the result na meron ka,” Reyes said.
“Napaka-hipokrito naman namin kung sabihin namin na hindi kami naaapektuhan sa mga bagay-bagay kasi may mga programa kami sa mga bata na ‘yon ‘eh.
“This is not the right time na umalis sila sa program kasi hindi pa tapos yung academic year. Ongoing pa ang klase, magko-commit sa team, ‘eh siyempre may mga student-athletes na titignan yung scholarship and all the privileges, kaya masa-stop or maiiba yung programa ng bata, especially du’n sa academics.”
While such career decisions won’t ever be a one-way street, Reyes emphasized how he still personally values ensuring an amicable parting of ways with those who were once their own homegrown talent.
“Binibigay naman namin sa kanila [‘yung desisyon] basta magpaalam nang husto. Ile-let go na lang din namin ‘yun kasi parang wala nang reason to stay kasi nga na-break mo na or parang nawalan ka na ng tiwala,” he added.
Moving on, moving forward
As program director of UST’s women’s volleyball program, the Golden Tigresses mentor extended his regards to his now-former player and her family that once embraced the school with open arms.
“Sana maging mas ok siya du’n. Kung ano man yung hindi namin naibigay or pinagkulangan, siguro baka sila mag-fulfill kung anong meron sila. Thankful din kami du’n sa mga magulang na binibigay sa amin na at least, napansin yung mga bata na ‘yan na nagkaroon ng interest yung ibang schools sa kanila,” Reyes said.
“Maraming good memories, pero sa akin, ang gusto ko maalala sa kanya is kung paano sila dumating sa amin na akay-akay pa ng magulang, pero lalabas sila na iba na yung may-ari.”
And just like how it’s always been on the taraflex, Reyes takes such losses on the chin and turns his focus to the future with the likes of province-based young guns Mabeth Hilongo, Arlene Waje, Ashlee Knop, Johna Ajero, Freya Elderfield, and more set to fortify the future of one of the UAAP's most successful volleyball programs.
“We hope na yung welfare at yung program, magtuloy-tuloy. Hindi na nga lang sa bakuran namin, sa kabilang bakod na. Yung best ng welfare ng mga bata ang concern pa rin namin kasi once upon a time, nagsuot ng jersey namin ‘yan. Once upon a time, naging team leader pa namin yan kasi naging captain ball pa yan. Once upon a time, naging bronze rin sa'min.
“Ang pine-pray lang namin, huwag mapabayaan yung welfare ng bata, yung education ng bata kasi nung kinuha namin yan sa mga magulang nila, whole-hearted kami na holistic yung approach mula sa academics kasi si UST, super conservative sa acads, sa pagiging student-athlete, na nakatanim na sa kanila yung respeto na binibigay sa lahat.
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