TAB BALDWIN: NOT JUSTA COACH BUT A TEACHER TO THE PLAYERS
My final column for the year is always an inspirational message. For the past 19 years, I have been sharing inspiring words from priests and popes. This year, I chose to interview coach Tab Baldwin of the Ateneo Blue Eagles, the recent UAAP basketball champion. When I first met coach Tab two years ago, I was struck by how humble, genuine and helpful he is. He never fails to inspire the public with whatever short interview he gives.
PHILIPPINE STAR: What are the three most important core values you emphasized to the boys that prepared them for this championship? COACH TAB BALDWIN: Work ethic, discipline, servanthood. We always see you spend time to hug and talk to the losing team’s important players after a game. What do you tell them?
To be honest, those conversations are really not meant for the public and they aren’t always the same. However, a common theme would be that it is the greatness of an opponent that brings out the best in our team. I appreciate that about our opponents when I see that and, more, I respect that in a worthy opponent. Also, I know that way too much emphasis is placed on results and the winner is given too much credit while the loser often receives way too much criticism. I want the players to know that I appreciate the warrior irrespective of the outcome. What conditioning work do you let the team do to boost their performance?
We employ a rigorous pre-season conditioning campaign embodying a long hypertrophy phase followed by another long strength phase. This is followed by a regular maintenance program that we stick to religiously throughout the year. We also endure a “boot camp” designed to condition the mind for mental toughness. Finally, we believe that the intensity and duration of our practices allow us to maintain a consistently high level of fitness. What do you let them do to help prevent injuries?
Our strength and conditioning program is the front line of our injury prevention. Our physio (Louise Gomez) and our strength coach (Andrei Tolentino) monitor the health of our players daily. We believe that our limits as athletes are generally untested so, as a coaching staff, we try to push the players to their limits. Our training staff tries to keep the players’ fitness at a level to be able to react positively to the challenge of the coaches. What is most difficult about your
job? How do you manage stress?
The daily grind. Being away from my wife and family every night until late in the evening. Also, the pressure to not just be a good coach but also a good teacher to our young players (not so necessary in the pro ranks). Teaching thoroughly is much more energy sapping than just coaching but also very rewarding. Stress arises from lack of preparation. I always prepare. I rarely feel stress related to my job as a coach. There are important lessons that
are true-to-life in general that we can get from basketball. Can you cite some favorites?
Perseverance — failure is a given, the response to it is not. Personal accountability — one should never hide from one’s failures or successes. Own them and understand the impact they have on others. In this way, you embrace competition rather than hide from it. Humility — understanding that it takes many hands to build a champion and the joy of being a champion is found in the sharing of not just the spoils of victory but also the thrills and challenges of the journey. No individual owns a championship; therefore, none should be quick to grasp the laurels. Instead, each teammate should be quick to show the hand of every other teammate who helped claim the trophy.
What most people find phenomenal is how you developed a team with almost equal abilities, no one big star, just many talented ones working together. We have seen massive improvements not only in skills but in confidence and maturity comparing last year’s team to now. Comments?
Our goal as a coaching staff is to unearth the “star” in every player. We serve our players to this end. Without their dreams and full trust and consent, this is impossible. With them, the players can grow and with growth in skill, knowledge, and athleticism, the players will develop unparalleled confidence. It is this confidence that allows them to stand up in moments of pressure and stress to perform.* * *