Santos perseveres to earn degree

Although he left school five years ago to turn pro, San Miguel Beer star Arwind Santos never gave up on his dream of someday earning a college degree. Finally, in an inspiring ceremony, Santos walked up the stage to receive his diploma certifying a degree in Sports and Recreational Management at the FEU Auditorium in Manila last April 14.

No less than FEU president Dr. Lydia Echauz welcomed Santos’ return to campus and lauded his perseverance in finishing his studies even as he now earns big bucks in the PBA.

“It took Arwind all those years to earn his degree but he did it,” said Dr. Echauz. “We’ve always been very proud of Arwind. I particularly remember, during the FEU team’s tour of Guam some years ago, Arwind accommodated all the fans who crowded around him for autographs and photographs. He was always the last out of the gym because of the fans. When fans asked him to dunk, he didn’t hesitate. He’s very sincere. He appreciates the value of giving back.”

FEU athletic director Mark Molina said Santos and another former FEU cager Mark Barroca graduated this year.

“We try to impress upon our players the importance of education,” said Molina. “Denok Miranda, for instance, graduated on time and earned a business degree. Jonas Villanueva and Jeff Chan also finished. Mac Baracael has two semesters to go before graduating so I’m hoping he comes back to school even if he applies for the PBA draft this year. Denok is one of the hardest-working players we’ve ever had. This summer, he’s back on campus working out with the varsity and staying in shape.”

Molina said newly reappointed FEU coach Bert Flores has assembled an all-star staff made up of former Tamaraws who’ve always been loyal to the school. Vic Pablo, Johnny Abarrientos and Jorge Gallent are in Flores’ staff.

Santos said it was a proud moment for him to earn his degree.

“To graduate was one of my goals, something my parents also dreamed of for me,” he said. “It’s a great feeling when your parents tell you how proud they are of you.”

Santos said he knows the importance of education. “I am fortunate that God gave me the talent to play basketball and through basketball, I am able to support my family as a breadwinner,” he went on. “But it’s also good that I don’t only have basketball to rely on. Now, with a college degree, I can do other things after basketball. If I only rely on basketball, I’m not sure if I’ll be able to support my family when I retire from playing.”

Santos said with his degree, he can look forward to a career beyond basketball. “God gives us the opportunity to develop our talents,” he added. “For me, it’s not just basketball. The talents God gives us are not limited to one or two. It’s up to us to develop those talents. Graduating from college is a way to develop your talents and it’s something I can share with my children and I can use for the future especially in finding work after basketball. I’m so happy that God has given me the opportunity to graduate and I persevered to build a future for my family.”

Santos, 29, and wife Ivette are parents of five children, Danica, Daniella, Jaden, Audrey and Iona.

After finishing high school in Lubao, Santos enrolled at FEU in 2002. He played four years with the Tamaraws and led the varsity to three UAAP seniors titles, bagging in the process two MVP trophies. In 2006, Santos was picked second overall by Air21 in the PBA draft, behind Kelly Williams. The Spiderman joined San Miguel in 2009-10 and averaged 14.6 points in his first season with the Beermen. In the recent Philippine Cup, Santos hit at a 15.2 clip and grabbed nine rebounds an outing.

As for San Miguel, Santos said the team will bounce back with a vengeance after failing to make it to the playoffs in the Commissioner’s Cup.

“We’ll do everything we can to improve,” vowed Santos. “We’ll be back. Maybe, we won’t win the championship right away or make it to the finals but we’ll do our best to at least qualify for the semifinals. If we make it to the semifinals, that means we’re already jelling and getting stronger. That will signal our comeback. Then, we can start to plan to go all the way again.”

 In the NBA, players with no college degrees are going back to school in the offseason. About 45 players were enrolled last summer. Among the stars who returned to campuses were Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green and Kevin Durant. Only about 21 percent of current NBA players have undergraduate degrees.

“For elite athletes who command seven-figure salaries, returning to college is an investment and a hedge against what can be an uncertain future,” wrote Jonathan Abrams. “The average annual salary in the NBA is $5.85 million and players are generally secure in the near term. Their retirement years can be completely different. An estimated 60 percent of NBA players are broke within five years of retiring. Professional sports leagues and unions have emphasized education as one way of helping athletes prepare.”

In 2001, Vince Carter earned a degree at North Carolina three years after he left school to turn pro. On the day of his graduation, Carter’s team Toronto played Philadelphia and was on the brink of elimination. Carter rushed from the graduation rites to suit up for the Raptors and ended up missing the final shot, resulting in Toronto’s elimination. For Carter, it was simply a question of priorities.