RICHARD ALBO: On The Value Of Imparting Life Lessons To His Sports-Oriented Daughter

Written By: ZerJosh Serrano and Paul Tamayo

At age 35, Richard Albo was the oldest applicant during this year’s PBA Draft. Richard went undrafted, and that could have forced him to give up on his dreams. It is a physically-demanding sport, and most hoopers in their late 30s would give up playing highly-competitive basketball.

But eight days after Richard went undrafted in the PBA, he helped the Davao Occidental Tigers defeat the San Juan Knights for the MPBL crown. Things have been like this for Richard throughout his life. Nothing was ever given to him.

Before he became a fixture in local basketball leagues, Richard had to earn his living at a very young age. He stopped going to school in 5^th grade to work, and was already 19 years old when he stepped into his first year in high school.

Tumigil ako sa pag-aaral noong Grade 5 ako dahil kailangan ko mag-trabaho para mabuhay. 19 years old na ako noong ginusto ko ulit mag-aral sa high school. Ang tangkad ko na noon, nasa 6-foot-1 na height ko. Tinatawanan ako ng ibang mga bata pero hindi ko naman iniintindi. Ganoon talaga kapalaran ko ‘eh. Kailangan ko tapusin yung pag-aaral ko.

Habang nag-aaral ako, nag-tatrabaho din ako. 8am to 4pm ako sa trabaho, tapos third shift naman ako sa school, which is 4pm to 9pm. Minsan nakakatulog na lang ako sa klase dahil sa sobrang pagod. Sobrang swerte ko lang din na naiintindihan ng mga teacher ko noon yung situation ko.

But even in his very busy schedule, Richard would always manage to make some time for basketball. He first became interested in the sport when he happened to watch the 1996 PBA Finals series between Purefoods and Alaska. Interestingly, that was the first time that Richard watched a basketball game on television. He was 11 years old by then.

Since then, Richard would regularly play pick-up games and join local basketball leagues. It was after he finished his studies in high school that he was recruited to play for De Ocampo Memorial College. Richard already knew by then that basketball would be his way to survive and provide for his family. It was a series of many disappointments, but he forged on knowing that God always has a plan for everyone.

Naglaro ako sa De Ocampo for one year, then after that tuloy tuloy na ko sa mga ligang labas. Alam ko noon pa lang na basketball na yung ibubuhay ko sa pamilya ko kaya kailangan ko alagaan sarili ko. Palagi ako din noon sumusubok sa PBL at PBA D-League, pero hindi ako pinapalad. Hindi naman ako nawalan ng pag-asa. Sabi ko lang sa sarili ko na baka dahil hindi ako nakuha kasi may kulang pa sa akin.

Noong 2018, nagkaroon ng MPBL. Sa Navotas ako nag-tryout noon at pasalamat sa Panginoon, nakuha ako na homegrown player nila. Sobrang saya kasi iba pa rin yung matupad yung pangarap mo na mapanood ko sa TV.

Richard will be turning 36 this year, but he’s still not giving up on his ultimate goal of stepping into a PBA court. While it’s true that the MPBL championship he just won is worth a celebration, Richard’s focus is still on chasing his PBA dreams.

I’ll be turning 36 this November pero ngayon ko lang din talaga natutupad yung mga pangarap ko. Noong una, pangarap ko lang na makapag-champion sa MPBL, pero eto nangyari na.

Hindi pa rin ako nawawalan ng pag-asa na makatuntong sa PBA. Inaalagaan ko pa rin ang sarili ko kahit na ganito na ang edad ko. Gusto ko sana na kahit ma-invite lang ako sa mga practice nila. Malaking bagay na yun para sa akin. Kung ano ang ibigay sa akin ni God at kung saan at ano ang kapalaran ko, magiging thankful ako.

Aside from playing competitive basketball, Richard is also into coaching in his hometown of Navotas. He is one of the basketball coaches in Passion Sports, a sports camp founded by former PBA player Robert Labagala. He credits Coach Rob for giving him the opportunity to be one of the first coaches of Passion Sports way back in 2013.

Richard says that what makes Passion Sports unique is that they don’t just impart skills on the court, but they also want to help young athletes become better individuals on their life outside sports.

Swerte ang mga kabataan dito sa Navotas dahil kay Coach Rob. Siya yung unang nagkaroon ng basketball camp dito kaya yung mga bata ay gumaling talaga sa basketball. Ang maganda sa Passion Sports ay natututo din ang mga bata ng mga magagandang asal, mga mabubuting pag-uugali, at kung paano mas magiging malapit sa Diyos.

Mahalaga para sa aming mga coaches na makapag-turo din ng life lessons sa mga bata. Yun ang laging focus ni Coach Rob kaya hindi lang basta-basta na sports camp ang Passion Sports.

It’s also a source of joy for Richard to see his daughter participating in the sports camps put up by Passion Sports. His daughter loves playing volleyball and basketball, and she even joins his father in working out. Richard says that he is so happy to see his daughter having the same passion that he has for sports.

Richard even revealed that her daughter would constantly update him on the workouts she would do, especially when he is away from home working or playing in an MPBL game.

Looking back into the countless hardships and challenges that he went through, Richard realizes that all of those have their purpose. By overcoming those difficulties, he now has something to teach to his daughter. It is important that he does not only help his daughter improve in volleyball or basketball, but he also knows how valuable it is to also impart life lessons for his daughter to become a better individual outside of sports.

Bilang ama, sobrang saya kasi kung ano yung passion ko, yun din yung gusto ng anak ko. Hindi ko siya pinilit na magustuhan ang sports. Palagi ko sinasabi sa kanya na kung ano ang gusto niya, susuportahan ko siya. Pero passion na din talaga niya ang sports at dahil doon, sympre masaya ako.

May mga ibang bata na may ipagawa ka lang na kaunti, tatamarin na kaagad. Pero yung anak ko, naka-focus talaga siya. Makikita mo sa mga mata niya na gustong-gusto niya yung ginagawa niya.

As a fitting end to our conversation, Richard then gave a piece of advice to people who are going through tons of hurdles and obstacles on their way to achieving their dreams.

Kailangan lang talaga mag-sipag ka. Kung hindi ka madiskarte, wala talaga mangyayari. Walang imposible kay God. Samahan mo lang talaga ng sipag at tiyaga.

 

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