Coach Toto as an Athlete
Coach Toto was not the child prodigy athlete. He pretty much started from the bottom rungs of the sport hierarchy and certainly was not at the same caliber as Jose Renato Unso, Mike Mendoza and Bryan Sutingco when he was at the same age. He came from the humblest of towns, from the province of Capiz. His childhood was not as comfortable as mine, or any other privileged member of the middle and upper classes, for that matter. It was a Spartan life. I recall him telling stories about how he had to cross a couple of hills and a few rivers just to get to school. Coach Toto did not put much emphasis on his studies. In fact, he often told me how he regretted not having finished his college degree and constantly reiterated to us, his athletes, the value of education.
Coach Toto was originally a national class rower. For some reason, he started to attend track and field practice with the guys in Rizal Memorial. "Saling-pusa lang ako," were how he described himself. "Hindi ako nahihiya, sinubukan ko lahat ng events. Laban lang!" He has experienced the most primitive of coaches and training approaches throughout his tenure in the sport; hence, the feeling of rancor against such coaches he encountered in his later, more athletically prestigious years. He considered Coach Dario de Rosas as a definitive influence in terms of proper, scientific training. For his part, Coach Toto has undergone a few IAAF-accredited seminars to further his track & field know-how. More importantly, the years that he have spent as an international class competitor are priceless.
As the national record holder for the decathlon (6978 points), Coach Toto has had a storied track & field career, winning medals in internatonal events, particularly the SEA Games. His first SEA games medals were two bronzes in the 1999 Brunei edition, one in the Decathlon and the other in the 4x400m relay. In 2001 in Kuala Lumpur, he emerged the sole victor in the grueling, 2-day event. In 2003, he won the bronze in the same event again, I think due to an injury sustained playing basketball.
One wonders what stellar heights Coach Toto would have reached if he had been exposed to scientific training at an early age, or if he had specialized in the sprints, since he was a prolific sprinter, with a hand-timed personal best of 10.4 (I'll try to confirm my figures). Nevertheless, he made the most out of his situation; hence, the accolades.
Coach Toto circa 2002I first took notice of Coach Toto during the 2003 National Open. Since my teammate Khole dela Cruz was entered in the same event, we watched the Decathlon religiously. Coach Toto injured himself in that meet and was unable to finish the Decathlon, which Khole won, by the way. During one of those PATAFA weekly relays in freshman year in college, I had just run the 100m dash and was on my way back from the finish line to get my stuff. My vantage point was perfect. As the gun fired, I saw first hand the proper way to start a sprint race. All the muscles in his body were contracting and expanding in a symphony of speed, and yet his face remain relaxed all thoughout.
Coach Toto as my Mentor
Days before the 67th Season of UAAP track was about to start, Coach Mick hired Coach Toto as an assistant trainer. His inputs, of course, were far too late to have made a significant impact in my hurdling. Naturally, I faltered a few days later, despite clocking a new personal best, 16.67s. I was in ninth place and narrowly missed a spot in the final. I was jaded, of course. I can still remember that particular afternoon. My teammates and I were huddled around our new coach, asking whatever track & field question came into mind.
When it was my turn, I asked, "Coach, ano kayang time ko next year? kaya ba 16 flat?"
"15.5 seconds," he replied without batting an eyelash.
"Oh? talaga"
"Oo, job," he said in his confident manner. "Basta ako lang hahawak sa'yo."
Breaking 16 Seconds
Suddenly, I felt the disappointment of missing the finals disappear. I couldn't wait to start training already the moment I heard his words. My third year was an eye-opener. Coach Toto taught me the basics of hurdling. In order to be a good hurdler, he said, one must master the simplest of hurdle drills. After demonstrating the correct way of doing it and assigning a specific technical workout, I immediately set out to master everything he had taught. For two grueling months, I spent my Tuesdays and Thursdays doing endless hurdle drills. I arrived at Moro at about 12nn, warmed up a little and did a few running and starting drills. I did hurdle drills for about an hour and a half, then did the prescribed workout for that day. I was so engrossed in mastering the drills that I did the exercises even as I dreamt and slept. It was one of the hardest experiences of my track career. I had never felt so much pain in training. When I got home, I could barely lift my legs, much less lift the pages of a book. I was so tired that I sometimes cried my heart out.
As I mastered the drills, Coach Toto began to teach more advanced facets of sprint hurdling - the actual clearing, the trail leg action, lead leg action, arm action and of course, the 8-step approach to the first hurdle. By August of 2005, I was ripe for competition and eager to strut my new repertoire. The first race of the season was good enough, a hand timed 16.4s, which
was much better than my last season's best time of 16.9s.
I can vaguely remember that Saturday morning, but I remember feeling overly pumped up at the starting line. As soon as the gun fired, I got out of the blocks as fast as I can. Everything was a blur since then, but I recall overtaking two or three athletes on my way to the finish line. Even if I had not seen my time yet, I knew for a fact that that was the best race I had run in my career, so far. After the race, I went to the timers to get my time. I can still remember that moment. One of the officials showed me the actual stopwatch used to time my sprint - I ran a 15.62 (but for some reason, they rounded it up to 15.8). Nevertheless, I was ecstatic! I had just broken the 16 second barrier! I was so excited to tell my teammates that I literally jogged to where they were situated.
Coach Mick and Coach Toto circa 2005The rest was history. That particular Saturday morning started it all. I was on an exponential rise to the top, culminating with my unexpected UAAP bridesmaid finish in my third year.
With Coach Toto (Unigames 2006)I felt a sense of pride whenever I was in Rizal or Ultra with Coach Toto at my side. Here I was standing side by side with a Philippine Track legend as my mentor. Even after Coach Mick and Coach Toto had their falling out, Coach Toto did his utmost best to watch some of my races and provide some much-needed inputs. Even if he wasn't officially my coach, I still valued his words of wisdom.
Coach Toto did more than teach hurdling technique. He taught me the importance of proper track attire and its relationship to one's performance (I took it a couple of steps further though by adding the word "fashion"). When I competed, I have different sets of clothing for different weather conditions. He was instrumental in molding the kind of athlete I am today - fearless, hardworking and disciplined. I remember how he used to chide me for being a "nerbyoso" on the track with the way I paced up and down like a nervous wreck before a race. "Tapang lang," were his favorite words. "Malakas naman kayo, kulang lang kayo sa tapang." He taught me how to be smart through his patented "gulang" methods learned throughout his career. And by Jove, I absorbed all these like a sponge.
In the latter months of my UAAP career, not once did I heard him utter "nerbyoso" to my face again. Perhaps, I've earned his respect. He sure as hell has earned mine.
I remember the last time Coach Toto actually trained me. It was during the sembreak in the latter parts of October. The core of the team was competing in the Bacolod Unigames, while I chose to remain here in Manila to be with the others, and of course, to finally have the chance to be coached by my mentor again. In those three days of training camp, we focused on my start. He explained the basics again and fine-tuned my starting technique. When my teammates came back, they sure as hell were suprised at the obvious improvement.
Whenever Coach Toto and I sit down and talk, I never fail to stress the fact that he made me strong. "Coach, ikaw nagpalakas sa akin," I always say. He would always reply by saying, "Ikaw ang nagpalakas sa sarili mo Job, tinulungan lang kita."
Nevertheless, I would remain eternally grateful for Coach Toto's effort, patience and wise words. I will never forget his faith in me, how he egged me to do better. Not once, did he express doubt at my abilities - not once.
We have had a great relationship as athlete and coach. My only regret, of course, is that we did not have the chance to compete against one another.
Article by Joboy Quintos
