Uytengsu: It’s teamwork, hard work

MANILA, Philippines – Wilfred Steven Uytengsu, once listed by Forbes as among the top 30 richest Filipinos, also has a very rich involvement with sports other than owning a highly successful franchise in the PBA.

When he took the podium during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Awards Night the other night, he looked back at the days when he was an aspiring member of the Philippine swim team.

Uytengsu, dapper in his dark suit, faced the country’s finest athletes and top officials, and delivered an 18-minute speech that focused on the challenges, the hardships of being an athlete.

“Along the way I learned about the importance of great work ethic, commitment, dedication and sacrifice,” said the 54-year-old CEO of Alaska Milk Corporation.

Uytengsu recalled the days when he would train six days a week only to be denied a slot in the Philippine team to the 1981 Southeast Asian Games.

It was politics in sports that did him in. Before he knew it, his days as a competitive swimmer were over. He became a banker and eventually, in 1998, president of Alaska Milk.

In 1986, he put up the PBA franchise, and went on to become one of the most successful team owners, with 14 titles, including a rare Grand Slam in 1996.

Last Saturday evening, he called on the Filipino athlete to strive hard because there’s no other way to achieve success without really trying.

Once, he entertained thoughts of competing in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, but admitted that he didn’t give it his best shot.

“Later on I reflected that if I wanted it bad enough I would have made the effort. I would have waken at 4:30 a.m. to train, put in the regular eight-hour work day then be back in the pool at six p.m.,” he said.

But he didn’t. Instead, he ended up watching seven of his teammates at the University of Southern California represent five different countries in the LA Olympics.

“Some of them earned Olympic medals. I also watched my fellow Filipino swimmers compete. But none of them made it to the semifinals, much less win medals. But they got richer in experience,” he said.

“I think I would have if I had the opportunity,” Uytengsu added.

He urged the athletes who were present during the affair to give it their best shot – at all times.

“I look at how many of our athletes here have extreme hardship, must find ways to augment their income to make sure they have enough to eat and a place to sleep at night,” he said.

“So, shame on me. Shame on me for feeling sorry for myself when so many others have it so much harder,” he went on.

Uytengsu said he left baseball for swimming because in baseball, you can lose a game because “one of your teammates struck out or dropped the ball.”

In swimming, he said, there’s no one  else to blame if you lost.

“What I liked about swimming is you can look at yourself in the mirror whether you won or you lost and it was whether your work ethic or your time in the pool or your race plan was executed.

“That defined winning or losing. If I didn’t train hard enough I had no one to blame but myself and if I was successful it’s because I worked hard. I enjoyed that notion and competed for 13 years,” he said.

It was only when he sat as team owner of the Alaska franchise in the PBA that he learned the true value of teamwork.

“I always had the desire to win. But it was there (PBA) that I learned the importance of teamwork, hard work and adherence to our core values where integrity sits at the top of the list,” he said.

“But of course, it’s teamwork,” he added.

Uytengsu said it came as a surprise when he was told he would receive the Executive of the Year award from the PSA when his team just lost in a PBA finals three consecutive times.

“Why would you recognize someone whose franchise has just lost three PBA finals in the last season. Hardly a definition of success. But I was told it’s not about Alaska’s performance in the PBA but my involvement in sports over the years.

“So, I humbly accepted the award,” he said, tipping his hat on San Miguel Beer for winning the recent PBA Philippine Cup in historic fashion.

“To be the best you have to beat the best. We were not the best in that finals. San Miguel was and they deserve the congratulations. Am I disappointed? Of course I am. But I’m not deterred,” said Uytengsu.

The avid supporter of soccer and triathlon in the country borrowed the old cliché that in sports, winning isn’t everything,

“They say you are measured by what you accomplish but you are defined by what you attempt. We (in Alaska) will be back,” he said.

For the national athletes, he said nothing beats trying to win a medal for the country.

“I can’t think of no greater honor than to represent your country in sports,” he said.

In ending his speech, Uytengsu hinted of some plans he has for Philippine sports.

“Now, I have some grander ideas for Philippine sports going forward,” he said.

“But that will have to wait until we meet again in the not too distant future,” Uytengsu closed.

Then came the applause.