KWENTONG PASSION
BERNARD QUIBIDO: On Passing His Basketball Dreams To His Sons And Overcoming Adversaries As A Father
May
Written By: ZerJosh Serrano and Paul Tamayo
“One may not be able to fulfill all his dreams, but some of them can be fulfilled by those who are important to him.”
This is exactly how the story of Bernard Quibido blossomed. Hailing from the historic city of Cebu, Bernard once dreamed to be one of the best in the world of basketball during his heydays. His love and passion for the game motivated him to be great.
However, just like millions of aspirants throughout the country, Bernard was overshadowed by more talented and higher-caliber players from his hometown.
“Matagal na ako mahilig sa basketball. Sumubok din ako kaso hindi ako nakukuha. Ang kinukuha syempre yung mas magagaling. Eh maraming magaling sa amin sa Cebu. Doon kasi ako sa Cebu lumaki,” Bernard stated.
Realizing that his dream was too farfetched to happen given the oozing talents in Cebu, Bernard contemplated that maybe his dream of becoming a great basketball player is meant to be reached by someone else.
Now that he is already a father, Bernard has not only one, but two sons trying to make their names known in the hoops world and reach their father’s lifelong dream. Admitting his lack of training and experience during his younger days, Bernard is all-in to his sons’ blooming basketball careers.
“Since hindi ako nakukuha sa mga teams noon, naging motivation ko yun and pinangarap ko na kapag nagkaanak ako, susuportahan ko talaga sila,” Bernard added.
Ako dati wala ako naranasan na mga training kaya ngayon sa mga training camps talagang ineenroll ko yung mga anak ko since may height naman sila, yung panganay ko 16 years old na ngayon and 5’11” na tapos yun bunso eh 14 years old and nasa 6’0” na. Kaya talagang suportado ko sila.”
Determined to maximize his sons’ youth and energy, Bernard utilized every opportunity he had to enroll them to different training camps and even bringing them to various try-outs with the hopes that the basketball gods will smile upon them.
The older of the siblings, Bernard Jr. was only 13 years old when he first enrolled in a training camp. Years later, Lionale, the younger brother, followed suit.
“Si Kuya [Bernard] 13 years old pa lang noong inenroll ko sya, tapos si Lionale hindi ko agad pinasali. Pero noong tumagal na inenroll ko na din sya,” Bernard mentioned.
Unexpectedly, this series of training camps led the Quibido brothers to grow and learn until the time wherein their father, Bernard, was able to find what they can consider as their best training destination.
“Marami kami in-enrollan na mga training camps. Then one day, nakita ko sa post ng friend ko yung Passion Sports. Sakto sa Starmall [Alabang] lang yung venue, kaya sinubukan namin kahit from Cabuyao pa kami.”
Out of curiosity and determination of developing his sons’ skills, Bernard decided to give Coach Rob Labagala’s Passion Sports a shot. Now, the Quibido brothers became mainstays of the program. Bernard admitted that the program helps the two a lot, a greater reason for them to stay longer.
“Tumagal talaga kami sa Passion. Kasi yung kay Coach Rob iba. May program talaga siya. Ituturo talaga sayo lahat mula sa basics at tuturuan ka din nila ng teamwork,” Bernard stated.
As he mentioned the reason behind staying for so long with Passion Sports despite of the distance, Bernard also gladly shared his observation about his sons.
“Sa Passion Sports sobrang laki ng improvement nila. Si Kuya [Bernard Jr.] noon hindi pa marunong talaga kahit mag-dribble. Pero ngayon maayos na maglaro. Pareho sila. Ayun yung kagandahan sa Passion Sports. Ituturo nila lahat sayo. Tinuruan nila paano mag-focus sa laro, yung teamwork, pati basketball IQ nila nag-improve. Sa dami ng inenrollan ko, sa Passion Sports talaga yung pinakamaganda,” Bernard claimed.
Seeing how things worked out for his sons, Bernard can’t help but be proud of them. His determination and resilience to make his sons become better players came in fruition. They even have to conquer time and distance to make things happen.
“Yung Passion [Sports] may paliga yan sila every after training camp. And meron din silang Elite team. So kahit malayo, 2am or 3am pa lang, na-byahe na kami kada may laro. Minsan nga sa mga sessions di kami nakakaattend dahil malayo pero sinisigurado naming na sa lahat ng laro nakakapunta kami.”
A proud dad, indeed. Bernard has put too much pride and admiration to the accomplishments of his sons. Both of them even made it to Passion Sports’ Elite team. All these are the fruits of labor and the adversary that the Quibido family had to overcome.
Bernard admitted that during his son’s childhood days, Lionale was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). It’s a condition in which a child has the tendency to become impulsive, above-normal hyperactive, and exhibit a lack of focus.
For so long, Lionale had to undergo medications and a series of check-ups so his parents can manage his condition. This is the reason why Bernard was half-hearted at first to enroll Lionale on a basketball camp.
But who would have thought that Bernard’s dream sports can also save and rehabilitate his son?
“Si Lionale na-diagnose na meron ADHD. Kaya may tendency na magkulit at need nya uminom ng gamot para ma-control. Kaya noon medyo takot ako isali sa basketball. Pero later on pinasali ko din. Sa basketball nagkaroon siya ng focus at natuto sya sa training. Kinakausap ko nalang yung coach nya beforehand about sa condition. Sa Passion, nakita na maayos nila i-handle si Lionale.
Ngayon, magaling na sya. Hindi ko akalain na sa basketball gagaling sya from his condition. Ngayon hindi na din niya need uminom ng gamot,” Bernard added.
Bernard was amazed that because of the sport that he loves, he was also able to save his son. Lionale put his heart and soul into basketball. Not only did he overcome his past condition, he also became a pivotal piece on the Elite team’s championship campaign. And yes, even the coach himself, Coach Rob, stood in awe as he vouched for Lionale’s outstanding performance.
“Ang laki ng inimprove ni Lionale. Noong una hirap siya sa instructions given his condition. Pero noong tumagal, unti-unti gumagaling sya. Sobrang laking tuwa ko sa kanya kasi nakasali din sya sa Elite team and crucial yung minutes na nilaro sya sa Semis at Finals,” Coach Rob stated.
Truly, basketball is a game of opportunities, dreams, and miracles. Imagine what would happen to Lionale if his father decided to keep him out of the sunlight? He pondered that a condition like this is something that parents should be afraid of.
“Yung mga ganyang bagay hindi dapat tinatago, hindi dapat kinakahiya. Kasi habang tinatago yan mas lalo iisipin ng anak mo na iba sila. Dapat tulungan mo sila. Dapat hanapan sila ng paraan para gumaling.”
Basketball and Passion Sports became the catalyst for Lionale, and even for his brother, Bernard Jr. to learn to socialize and pave the way to reach their dreams. Sooner or later, both of them will enter college, and Bernard is very much excited about what future holds for his sons. Nonetheless, their choices will always lead to another opportunity, and as the head of the family, Bernard will remain all-in to support his sons and hopes that in some way, basketball will help them reach greater goals.
“My advice to them is dapat i-balance nila maigi yung pag-aaral and basketball. Magagawa naman yan sa maayos na time management. If magagawaan ng paraan and maging varsity sila and makakapag-aral sila dahil sa basketball, mas maganda. At least yung sport na sobrang gusto namin ay makakatulong din sa pag-aaral nila. Kasi gusto ko at gusto din nila na makapasok sa university na may magandang engineering program kaya suportado ko sila.”
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