A NEW era has dawned in the Tiger’s lair. The retirement of Coach Januario “Aric” del Rosario after the UAAP season had left the team without a head coach.
After months of speculations on who would fill the shoes of the enigmatic del Rosario, the Institute of the Physical Education and Athetics (IPEA) office has finally chosen Reonel “Nel” Parado.
Earlier, Del Rosario’s top deputy last season, Virgilio “Dong” Vergeire, who was believed to inherit the team, begged off from the coaching job due to his commitment to the Cebuana Lhuillier-RP Team.
Parado guided the Sunkist-UST team to the semi-finals of the just concluded PBL tournament.
Prior to his PBL coaching stint, he served as an assistant coach to Vergeire in the national men’s team from 1996 to 1997; he was also the head coach of the women’s national team.
In 1998, Parado was in the MBA’s Pangasinan Presidents’ coaching staff also under Vergeire. The following year, he transferred to the Cagayan de Oro Amigos as an assistant and then became interim head coach upon the firing of coach David Zamar, the ousted University of the East mentor, midway through the season. He returned to being an assistant upon the hiring of coach Arlene Rodriguez, but returned to the head coaching post when coach Rodriguez stepped down late in the 2000 season.
Coach Parado then became an assistant coach at the College of Saint Benilde, again under Vergeire, helping the Blazers win the 2000 NCAA championship. He was also part of the staff of the John O Senators in the PBL before the Sunkist job came, with initial head coach Aric del Rosario opting to concentrate on the national team together with Vergeire.
Having talked to coach Parado before the semifinals of the PBL, I sensed that he could turn the Growling Tigers’ fortunes around given enough time and the right mix of players.
Rebuilding will always have its “growing pains.” I just hope that the Thomasian community will receive the new Tigers’ coach with open arms much like they did to Del Rosario during his glorious coaching stint.
***
Writing my first column was just an accident. I was asked by our adviser at the last minute to fill in one of the spaces left just to speed up the printing of this long-due graduation issue.
My days here at UST are fast dwindling as graduation approaches. Before I leave, I would like to extend my gratitude to the people, who in one way or another, left an imprint on my Thomasian years.
To the Varsitarian: Sir Lito and Ma’am Chrisma, dex, brix, melvin, djinn,geoff, joan, billy, jules, nat, rj, michael, stephan, abbie, tina, bimbo, elka, richard, chuck, nicolo, jhervy, ryan, jules, cherie, sharline, julienne, rupert, kenneth, jason, paul, charles, ron, jayme, dompy, marlon, dumay, A, ipe, ian, treb, socor, tl, ace, darell, myra, rachel, steph, lucci, meg, and marisse. Thanks for being my extended family.
To the IPEA office led by Prof. Michael Silbor and Fr. Ermito de Sagon, the athletes and coaches, england, ate dol and the Salinggawi dancers, coach aric and the basketball teams, coach karl and the tennisters, coach noli and the badminton team, rhoda, ivy, coach henbert and the table tennis teams, marc, gian carlo and the fencing team, coach sandy and the softball team, coach jeffrey and the baseball team, coach emil, coach august and the volleyball teams, coach jade and the women’s football team, thanks for making my job a worthwhile, fun and a lot easier.
To my friends: duday, mher, rheena, donna, yam, len, ann, harns, mayfair, the bird association, tin, bambie and louann, to my classmates: caloy, ian, mark, john jeff, cliff, irran, ayan, arpee, geoff, val, ger, jigs, juca, and powow. Thanks for the gift of friendship.
To my formators: Fr. Bobby Pinto, Fr. Cajilig, Fr. Ching, Fr. TJ and Fr. Dawe. Thanks for helping in molding me to what I am now. Special thanks to Fr. Honorato Castigador, my rector in the Seminary, for giving me the chance to stay in my other family in the university: The Varsitarian.
To the whole UST Central Seminary Community and most especially to my family for all the love and the support, my deepest gratitude.
