AFTER A FOUR-YEAR hiatus for table tennis at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the San Beda Red Paddlers finished as the first runner-up in the men’s, women’s, and junior’s division of the NCAA Season 99 Table Tennis tournament last January 29 to February 1 held at the Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC).
The tournament was last held in 2020, coinciding with the 95th season of the NCAA. In it, all three divisions of the team—men’s, women’s, and junior’s—won the Table Tennis Championship. As such, following the return of the sport this season, the pressure was on for the Red Paddlers, who were on a mission to defend their title in their NCAA comeback.
While finishing at a strong second in the elimination rounds, the defending champions still could not get over the hump. With the men’s team facing the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) and the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA (UPHSD) for both the women’s and junior’s team respectively, they ultimately bowed to these teams and earned a silver finish.
But despite their fallout, the Red Paddlers did have a bright spot through their ace, Matt Andrew Ramos.
As a former Letranite who became the most valuable player (MVP) after competing against San Beda University (SBU) way back during the 94th season of the NCAA, Ramos claimed that upon transferring to the Red Paddlers, he already “earned the trust” of the team’s coaching staff, more so upon being the top dog of the current season.
But by being the top dog, there came an immense pressure to maintain his stature. Still, he insisted that the people who supported him would give him the “courage to fight and continue winning” for San Beda. In return, he would boost the morale of his teammates as a means of his support.
With the 99th season of the NCAA ending with the team earning a silver standing, Ramos, nonetheless, confessed to having felt “somber” over the result, citing problems in terms of establishing an agreeable training schedule, as athletes were anchored to fulfilling academic responsibilities, especially how most of them were undergoing their ‘On the Job Training’ (OJT).
Addressing these problems, Ramos shared how he adjusted his own time for the benefit of his teammates by putting their individual priorities first in order to set aside a clear area, following it, where they can train in playing the sport to their heart’s content.
With him contributing to the team’s win, he humbly asked for the Bedan community’s presence in their future games as it will serve as their greatest encouragement and moral support to continually keep on striving in pursuit of reclaiming the winning title, with its prestige standing to where it rightfully belongs – in San Beda.
(with Rcee Tenefrancia)