18 June 2021
Coach Cris holds the distinction of being the longest-serving trainer/coach at the Club. He started out at as a ball boy 46 years ago, in April 1973, at the age of 11. Those were the days when the tennis courts didn’t have any roofing yet, and he remembers that when it would rain, the tennis courts would resemble a giant pond!
What has been the most rewarding thing about working at the Club and training with Members?
I feel most fulfilled when I see the kids that I coach happy and excited to be playing and performing, while making use of the things that I taught them. I have been teaching six kids, ages five (5) to eight (8) years old, and it is rewarding to see them so interested to learn how to play the sport.
How do you deal with difficult members/clients?
I have encountered kids who cry because they cannot take my strict coaching. I am quite particular with the techniques I teach my clients, so sometimes, my tone can be misinterpreted as being harsh. I make sure that at the end of our coaching sessions, the child learns something.
There was a time when I was coaching this young foreign client, and his parents were watching in the tennis gallery. In one of our coaching sessions, their child cried. His mom was in the tennis gallery then and asked me what happened. I explained to the mom that I was just making sure that the child learned something from our coaching session because I didn’t want to waste anybody’s time: his driver who brought him to the Club, the house help who accompanied him, and the mom who was always there to support him. In return, the mom told me that they liked the way I taught because I made sure that I didn’t waste anybody’s time and they could see for themselves that their child was improving.
I have a great amount of patience, especially for children. But if it gets too difficult, I talk to their parents and explain the situation or challenges I face during our coaching sessions so that we can be both on the same page when it comes to their child’s tennis education.
If it’s an older client, I just talk to them and try to set expectations and work with their pace.
At the end of the day, you need a lot of patience. (laughs)
How do you know when a young dependent/member has athletic potential? Have you had the honor of training any national/club champions?
You can see it on the onset. The way they hit, their form, the way they hold the racquet, and the way they move, and their display of footwork. Sometimes, I also encounter children who I coach who have the potential, but their heart is not really in it. When that happens, I talk to their parents so that they are aware of their child’s potential and leave it to them to decide whether they want to pursue it further or not.
I have not trained any of national or club champions, but I have trained one client who became a varsity player.
What was it like for you during the early months of the lockdown, when the Club was closed and you had no work?
I am very grateful to the members of the Manila Polo Club, who extended their help during those times. Tennis coaching has been my only way to earn money and with the Club closed, I was only relying on my children’s assistance.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Tennis Committee, who made sure that we were all taken care of, from the ball boys to the coaches.
How did you keep yourself going, mentally and physically? What did you discover about yourself that you hadn’t realized before?
I have a set of weights at home. Even before the lockdown, I had been keeping fit with those, on top of playing tennis. During those times, I kept thinking about why this thing was happening to us, but I urged myself to banish the negative thoughts. I am very thankful to have a very supportive family. I continuously pray that we overcome this, not just for my family, but for everyone.
How do you motivate a client to return to working out or playing a sport after so many months of inactivity?
Most of my students have already finished their lessons, so now I only am left with a few. I contacted them to see if they’re coming back to the Club for their lessons, but they said they would get vaccinated first. I understand perfectly because we need to look after ourselves during this time.
What are your recommendations for incorporating fitness into a family’s daily life?
Tennis is a good sport to get into right now because it falls under one of the sports that practices social distancing. I’m almost 60 now and I am still sprightly despite my age because of tennis.
To be honest, as people age, they are less likely to exercise consistently, but I say keep on moving. Do any sport you want. It will greatly enefit you, and it is important, now more than ever.