FOR someone who just wrapped up his 26th season on the sidelines with another title, La Salle living legend Ramil de Jesus still coaches like there remains much more to do.
That's not to say he's getting tired of his 13 championships and counting. It's more because there's one thing he will never grow tired of doing: teaching.
READ: RDJ on his future coaching DLSU: 'Pinag-iisipan ko na rin yun'
Long before becoming the face of green-and-white volleyball, de Jesus was once a student himself under coaching figures Emil Lontoc and the late Kid Santos.
Decades later, the winningest coach in the UAAP event still finds his biggest fulfillment in helping players harness their potential.
That itch to teach, according to RDJ, never really goes away.
“Kahit siguro may sakit ako, kapag nakita ko yung bata na may potential, hindi pwedeng hindi ko siya pakialaman o hindi ko siya maturuan,” he said.
“Kapag nakita ko yung bata na medyo mali yung ginagawa, talagang pupuntahan ko yun, papakialaman ko yun. Hindi ko mapalagpas na hindi ko siya matulungan man lang or mabigyan ng kahit anong tip. Tingin ko, yun ang tinatawag na passion ko.”
Over the years, that approach has helped shape countless La Salle stars who eventually found success beyond Taft, and Season 88 alone showcased different ends of that spectrum.
There was Finals MVP Shevana Laput, whose athletic roots came outside volleyball in the world of track and field, and there was Angel Canino, a can't-miss prospect long pegegd as a future star.
For de Jesus, both cases, and all those in between, demanded the same thing: guidance.
What RDJ learned and taught
Even amid a season sweep, RDJ admitted he ended up learning a few lessons himself.
The biggest one had little to do with systems or tactics, but more about roster-building.
“Ngayon kasi, alam ko namang manipis yung team ko, hindi sobrang lalim ng bench namin, so makikita niyo naman na iilan lang ang umiikot na players diyan,” he said.
“Hindi katulad ng NU na kahit sinong gamitin mo, talagang pwede eh. Sa amin, iilan lang, kaya sabi ko, itong naitawid namin na ito, happy ako kasi kahit ganito lang yung team namin, konti lang ang pwedeng mapaikot, naitawid namin sa finals."
And yet, despite carrying what he viewed as a thinner roster, the Lady Spikers still completed just the third 16-0 title run in league history.
That means one thing and one thing only for de Jesus.
“Sabi ko, hindi naman dami ng players ang kailangan. Ang kailangan lang, meron kang seven players na iisa lang ang goal at sa goal na yun, kasama ang disiplina. Yun ang nangyari sa team namin.”
That shared purpose eventually became La Salle’s biggest strength.
More than talent, more than depth, more than experience, RDJ pointed to discipline as the foundation behind the Lady Spikers’ perfect run.
“‘Yung disiplina talaga kasi iisa lang ang goal nila. Tapos yung leadership, nag-mature naman lahat, lalo na yung mga seniors,” he said.
For a coach who has spent nearly three decades teaching others, this year became another reminder that even after all these years, there are still lessons left to learn.
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