Ivan on following his dad’s footsteps
FROM THE TRACK, COURT AND TO TEACHING
For him, it was this amazing opportunity to finally give back to his father During his younger years, Isada would usually see his father in a rally car in competitions
The sound of engines revving, those really cool rides screeching and zooming past you, men in suits that kind of remind you of comic book superheroes — one can already imagine how a little boy would feel like to have the opportunity to see all these with his dad dominating the track.
Ivan Isada, currently the Automobile Association of the Philippines motorsports manager shared how following in the footsteps of his father, 10-time National Rally champion Vip Isada, came but naturally to him. The younger Isada said in an interview that he was never pressured by his dad to be a race car driver, it was just pure admiration for his father and all the “titos” of the track that effortlessly propelled him to follow suit.
During his younger years, Isada would usually see his father in a rally car in competitions as most of his days were spent in the province to take care of their business. But when they were together they would bond over sports like swimming as he was part of the swim team in Ateneo when he was in high school.
Sports has always been part of their lives from the race track, to the court and in the water. And aside from being a passionate athlete, Isada eventually found himself teaching, being an assistant professor at the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Human Kinetics and coaching just like his dad who served as UP’s volleyball team coach and the national team coach as well.
They both currently have been building and teaching about motorsports in the country through the Motorsports Development Program (MSDP). Isada also shared that when he was younger, there were times when he just wanted to have fun and play, but his dad took it a bit too seriously with teaching him because it was simply his nature as a passionate mentor; and thus, led Isada to his own teaching and coaching stints.
But it was not always about Isada following in the footsteps of his dad, as there came a time when his own achievements in motorsports enabled him to finally give back to his father for everything he did to help him become who he is today.
In 2013, Isada was happy to have paid for his own rally competition in Malaysia and also paid for his dad’s ticket for that trip. The following year, Isada became the overall champion at a Michelin event wherein the grand prize was a trip for two to watch the Le Mans 24 Hours in Paris. Of course, he brought no one else but his dad with him to watch the world’s longest-running endurance racing held annually since 1923.
For him, it was this amazing opportunity to finally give back to his father, and the best thing was, he was giving back through his own achievement in the sport that they both love and enjoy.
Isada, when asked about what he loved about motorsports, said that it’s actually his own father whom he loved most and all the things that he has ever done for the sport. Growing up in that environment, being surrounded by what he considered as his childhood heroes, the love for it had always been just there.
Through the MSDP, it was also his way of giving back to the sport and also became a way for him to spend more time with his dad.
Now, the younger Isada is proud to have a son of his own. When asked about how he sees the future amid this pandemic, he says that the future seems hazy but he still feels grateful to keep his job in teaching and motorsports.
But his main priority now is to look after his son and family. And he looks forward to the days when they all get to be together again — for his dad to be able to spend more time with his grandson. For him to also grow — like how he was — in love for the things and people he would hold dear the most.