RODOLFO Reyes Jr. may be the country’s top poomsae artist but he is foremost a family man.
Out of the nine international competitions Reyes joined in, he made sure he did not come home empty-handed.
He has already won 11 medals from stints outside the country but his motivation to succeed does not lie solely on making the country proud.
It also includes the monetary incentives to help his family of six. His family relies on their small sari-sari store in Dasmariñas, Cavite and on the income of their father, who works as a seaman.
“The better the performance, the better the incentive. [The incentive I receive from competitions] is my way of thanking my parents,” Reyes said in an interview.
“>Come to think of it, it is like a reversal of roles. I am the youngest in the family yet I’m the breadwinner,” the 22-year-old said.
But before winning 11 medals in the UAAP which translated to two poomsae championships for UST, Reyes almost stopped going to school.
His sister was supposed to graduate first before he could study but thanks to the full scholarship offered by UST, he was able to go to college on time.
Now in his sixth and final year in the UAAP the Education major dedicates his future performances for his family, especially for his mother who suffered from stroke last year.
“It is actually a sad thing whenever I go home in Cavite to see mama in that state. It is one of the reasons why I study hard and train harder [for competitions]. The whole family is counting on me.”
UST poomsae team head coach Rani Ann Ortega commended Reyes for being a team captain that gives a positive effect on the team.
“He sets an example in the team. He pushes his teammates to give their all during training, and he [guides] those who needs guidance. I saw determination and willingness [in Reyes when we first trained him in poomsae], and he perseveres and works hard to become the player that he is],” Ortega said.
Reyes said he is eager to take the poomsae crwon from rivals De La Salle University in the upcoming UAAP season.
“I asked my teammates to train harder, because I really want to reclaim the championship in my last playing year,” he said.
“I told them that I want the championship as a graduation gift from them. We’ll come ready,” he added.
Ahead of the UAAP, Reyes will try to anchor the Philippine team in their title defense at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on August 19 to 30.
