Ramil de Jesus: Coach on court, teacher at heart

Times may have changed, but one thing has remained constant in De La Salle University’s sports program — the brilliance of women’s volleyball team head coach Ramil de Jesus.

After Saturday’s finals, which saw the Lady Spikers complete a sweep of UAAP Season 88, La Salle was able to secure its 13th title in UAAP volleyball, all under the guidance of De Jesus.

“Sobrang happy ko sa championship kasi ito talaga ‘yung target namin after ng Season 87, talagang makabalik sa finals,” De Jesus said.

“Hindi ko rin in-expect na ma-sweep namin… Proud ako sa lahat ng players and coaching staff.”

(I'm so happy with this championship because this was our target after Season 87, to get back into the finals... I didn't expect we would sweep. I'm proud of all of the players and coaching staff.)

Winning culture

Humble as he is, De Jesus’ name has become synonymous with a winning tradition in UAAP volleyball.

Since joining La Salle’s volleyball program in 1997, De Jesus has steered the Lady Spikers to 22 finals appearances.

That same volleyball program has produced a constellation of stars who have proven their worth in Lasallian and Philippine sports history — from the likes of Iris Ortega, Chie Saet, and Manilla Santos, to the generation of Aby Maraño, Kim Fajardo, Ara Galang, and Michele Gumabao, and now the current stars Angel Canino, Amie Provido, and Shevana Laput — spanning generations of athletes over nearly three decades.

De Jesus’ program has also been a testament to his brilliance in adapting to changing times.

“‘Pag pumunta ka sa La Salle, dapat ready ka mag-adjust. Kung hindi mo kaya ang disiplina, hindi ka puwede sa La Salle kasi kailangan mo sumunod, kailangan mo gawin ang kulturang meron doon,” De Jesus said.

“Kasi kung pumunta ka doon para ma-associate lang sa La Salle, hindi ‘yun ang goal. Kung pupunta ka doon, lahat talaga dapat mong itawid — academics, disiplina, part ‘yun ng pagiging student-athlete sa La Salle.”

(If you come to La Salle, you have to be ready to adjust. If you can't have discipline, you can't be at La Salle, because here you need to follow and you need to be part of the culture... If you come only to associate with La Salle, that's not the goal. If you come, you need to do everything, the academics, the discipline, that's all part of being a student-athlete at La Salle.)

Teaching minds, transforming lives

La Salle, as an institution, believes in the mission of its founder, St. John Baptist de La Salle — teaching minds, touching hearts, transforming lives — and De Jesus is a living testament to it.

Beyond discipline and instilling a winning culture, the champion coach believes that, at his core, he is a teacher.

“Parang passion ko kasi ito. Parang sa akin, ‘pag may dumating na potential, ilabas mo ‘yung talent ng bata. And then, tulungan mo. And then, hindi lang doon. I-push mo din. Sa academics, ganoon din,” he said.

“So ‘yun ‘yung passion ko. Talagang passion ko magturo. Kung gusto ng bata matuto, tulungan namin matuto.”

(This is my passion. For me, when someone with potential arrives, we need to bring out their talent. And help them. And push them, even in academics. So that's my passion. My passion is to teach. If the player wants to learn, we will help them learn.)

In a separate interview, De Jesus said he teaches his players even in the smallest of ways.

“Kahit siguro may sakit ako, parang ‘pag nakita ko ‘yung bata na may potential, hindi pupwedeng hindi ko siya pakialaman or hindi ko siya maturuan,” he said.

“Kahit mabigat ang pakiramdam ko sa training, ‘pag nakita ko yung bata na medyo mali ‘yung ginagawa, talagang pupuntahan ko yun, papakialaman ko ‘yun kahit na… hindi ko mapalampas na hindi ko siya maturuan man lang or mabigyan ng kahit anong tip. Tingin ko ‘yun ang tinatawag na passion eh.”

(Even if I were sick, if I saw a player with potential, I can't resist coming over to teach... Even if my mood at training is heavy, if I saw the players doing something wrong, even in a small way, I would come over. I won't let it pass without teaching them or give them a tip. I think that's what they call passion.)

Who trained the GOAT?

Considered one of the greatest UAAP coaches of all time, De Jesus’ number of volleyball titles has surpassed Baby Dalupan’s record of 12 UAAP men’s basketball titles.

De Jesus has also entered the conversation among GOAT collegiate coaches, alongside the likes of Roger Gorayeb, who won 22 women’s volleyball titles in the NCAA with San Sebastian, and Ana Santiago, who captured at least 13 softball titles with Adamson.

His roots, however, come from one of the UAAP’s winningest volleyball programs.

A product of the Far Eastern University volleyball program, De Jesus considers Emil Lontoc and Kid Santos as his mentors.

Lontoc handled the UST men’s volleyball program for at least 30 years, while Santos steered FEU to 19 of its 29 women’s volleyball titles.

De Jesus’ coaching tree continues to grow, with the likes of his finals opponent Regine Diego, who also played for La Salle during her collegiate career.

“He’s always going to be one of my inspirations for where I am now. I am grateful to have been one of his players before,” Diego previously said.

“Siya ang pinakaunang nagsabi sa akin na puwede ako mag-coach and now I’m here, hopefully proud siya sa akin.”

(He's always going to be one of my inspirations for where I am now. I am grateful to have been one of his players before... He was the first to tell me I could coach and now I'm here. Hopefully, he is proud of me.)

Colegio de San Juan de Letran’s Mayeth Carolino, who recently steered the Lady Knights to the NCAA championship, also considers De Jesus one of her mentors.

“Sa Letran at saka sa national team, siya ang assistant coach ni Coach Nes [Pamilar] noong time na ‘yun. Ang laki ng naitulong din niya sa akin.”

(At Letran and at the national team, he was the assistant coach of Coach Nes during that time. He has helped me so much also.)

De Jesus, however, knows that nothing lasts forever, as he admitted to sometimes thinking about retirement.

“Hindi naman permanente ‘tong posisyon ko eh. Pinag-iisipan ko na rin ‘yun, pero hangga’t pinagkakaloob [mula] sa taas, tanggapin lang natin kung kaya pa. Kung di naman kaya, eh di magpahinga na,” he said.

(This is not a permanent postion. I have thought about it, but while we remain blessed, we'll take it while we can. When the time comes that I can't do it anymore, then I'll rest.)

But perhaps that may not happen anytime soon.

“Hopefully, makabalik kung pagkakaloob sa taas na malakas tayo.”

(Hopefully, I can return if I'm blessed enough to be healthy.)

—with reporting by Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA News