My ideal sports parent

Today, I beg your indulgence as I touch on something more personal, yet still related to sports. It’s about my ideal sports parent who passed away recently, my mother Priscilla S. Navarro. She was also fondly called as Lola P or Tita Pressy to those who knew her. After a second round with cancer, she passed away at the age of 83 on September 18, leaving a vacuum in as she was the rock behind our family who quietly but effectively played her role as a parent, sports parent included.

Our family is a sports-mad family. We grew up with my late father Enrique, a.k.a. “Popong” making sure that sports was a big part of our lives, not only for our family, but also for the community in which we lived up there in Atlas Mines in Lutopan, Toledo City. The company staged numerous sports competitions in Lutopan in the 70s and 80s, probably even more than those held in the city. Long before fun runs and badminton were the “in” thing, jogging/running and whacking the shuttlecock were already big in our place in the days of Abba and Earth, Wind and Fire. Ditto for tennis, volleyball and swimming. A boxing program was established through an outreach grassroots program, and basketball was always the biggest show that already featured “panalay” players who travelled from their base in the city and plied their trade “didto sa bukid.” This love for sports naturally trickled down to us, and we’re still very much involved in sports today. It must run in the blood and ironically, I still don’t know why.

Amidst all these, where was Tita Pressy? Was she there cheering in the stands and yelling her lungs out? Was she wiping the sweat off my father’s forehead and arms? Was she bringing a water bottle to us when we needed to rehydrate? Believe it or not: none of the above. She was always backstage and behind the scenes, preparing everything needed by my father and us kids when we had games or competitions. She took the lead in making sure our sports clothes were in place, nice and clean. She made sure that our

towels, drinks and extra shirts were always in our bags. And when there were post-game get togethers, she was always there to ensure that food was on the table and drinks were aplenty. On her own, she played badminton with other ladies and got into swimming (the two kinds). She also watched sports on TV, especially the big events: PBA, UAAP, volleyball and even boxing.

Now that we’re no longer active competing, she continued to support us in her own quiet way. In hindsight, only now do I realize that she played an even bigger role when we got into management of sports events. She would ask us about our basketball tournaments, how/why we’re also involved in football, expressed concern why our boxing gigs always ended near or past midnight, and what it was like to be a school’s athletic director after over a decade of selling Sky Flakes and Lucky Me! noodles. Her concern was a motherly one to make sure that this bleacher bum knew what he was doing and that everything went well. She wasn’t too concerned about which team won or lost, or which teams are favored and which are underdogs. She just wanted to be sure all went well. For our sports events, I always seek the intercession of my father who himself was a big patron of sports. My mother backed this up with prayers galore for our intentions, activities and events. She knew that prayers were my request for every weekend of games that we had to manage. Looking back, I now realize that one of the biggest factors for the smooth running of all our events were her prayers surely coursed through my manager up in heaven. She didn’t have to be visible to support us but did it truly in her own little but very effective way.

My mother’s style is obviously not one that you’ll see in today’s sports parents. (I pray that I’m wrong). Call me traditional, old-fashioned or throwback. But I’m still convinced it’s the best way for parents to support their children. My strong message for parents when I give briefings on their role in sports is always firm. Stay in the back stage and behind the scenes. Let your kids shine (and not you). This is their show, not yours. Support them by providing them all their needs. Be their driver, water boy and tiglaba. Encourage them to work hard in sports in the same way they should in other fields: academics, arts and their spiritual lives. Then back off, let them play. Sit back, enjoy the game (win or lose). Applaud both your kids and their playmates (not opponents). Dili sila kontra; kaduwa na sila. Cheer don’t jeer. Another way to look at it? It’s like their wedding. It’s theirs, not yours. It’s their decision, not yours; their friends, not yours; their honeymoon, not yours; their choice of church and restaurant, not yours; their choice of what to wear, not yours. Yours? Your wallet and love!

Thanks for the love Mama Pressy. Please watch over us now that you’re together with your INSLY author up there. To my double P (popping and Pressy), please pray for us.