Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin gives an insight into his and the Blue Eagles’ next big fight following a challenging UAAP Season 87 campaign.
Throughout a challenging UAAP Season 87 campaign, a cloud of uncertainty loomed over the Ateneo Blue Eagles’ heads due to rumors surrounding longtime head coach Tab Baldwin’s potential exit from Katipunan.
But as they wrapped up a tough campaign, the American-Kiwi mentor quickly reassured the Blue Eagle faithful of his intent to remain as Ateneo head coach. Baldwin has one year left on his contract, which he plans to honor come Season 88.
“My decision is yes, but I’m not the ultimate decision-maker. So if you want to get more confirmation, you have to talk to other people who are involved in that decision. But my goal, my decision, my earnestness is to continue coaching the Blue Eagles next year,” Baldwin said after Ateneo finished their Season 87 with a lowly 4-10 record after a 69-55 loss to Adamson last Saturday.
With an earlier-than-usual offseason, Baldwin is now laser-focused on improving his current core, which includes a recruitment trip to the States by December.
“We’re in the gym Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday…We’ll be in the gym and the following week is exams. I’ll get a break but I’ll be recruiting. And the week after that we’ll start practice, formal practice, and the week after that I’ll be off to the States recruiting,” said the four-time UAAP champion mentor.
“When you have a dip in the standards that you believe should be part of how you work and who you are, when there’s a dip there, there’s an immediate reaction to that. To get back in the saddle, and I’ve always been a person driven by challenges, and certainly this is a big one.”
Star recruits Jared Bahay and Kris Porter are expected to lead Ateneo by Season 88, along with breakout sophomores Shawn Tuano and Andrew Bongo. Lebron Nieto will likely return from his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear, accompanied by Baldwin’s potential recruits throughout the offseason.
Ateneo’s Season 87 core also took on bigger roles following Kai Ballungay and Jared Brown turning pro, and Mason Amos’ controversial transfer to La Salle. Baldwin, though, knows that his wards can’t be content with the growth they attained from such a challenge.
“There has to be improved performances, there has to be improved trainings, there has to be a greater commitment from these players and players that will join us. Success in the UAAP is not easy and it hasn’t gotten any easier as programs like UP and La Salle have significantly lifted the standards and they’re not going to give up the ground they’ve gained very easily and nor should they,” he explained.
“So, getting your hands dirty and getting in and being prepared to take some gut shots and some real punches to the face is exactly what we expect. I can’t wait to feel that pain and to deliver some punches of my own.”
And as early as now, Baldwin made it clear that each roster spot will be earned, and not given in the Blue Eagles’ potential redemption tour.
“Well, we are motivated. We believe that the roster this year had some positional deficiencies and we’re out to fix those. It’s going to be competitive to be a Blue Eagle next year for the current players and for the players we bring in,” he said. “If they’re not up for that, and I think they will be, but if for whatever reason they’re not, then it might be time to be thinking about what else they might do.”
Baldwin adds, “It’s going to be competitive, as it should be. We can’t put a lot of value in this uniform if there isn’t a fight to put it on. And before there can ever be a one big fight on the court, there’s got to be a one bigger fight to get into that uniform.”
Banner image courtesy of the UAAP Media Bureau.