Ryan as role model

In the PBA, Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio stands out as an example of an achiever who got to the top because of hard work, dedication, discipline, faith in God and talent, not necessarily in that order.

Gregorio, 37, turned to coaching almost by accident. He earned a communication arts degree at UP in 1994 and used his specialization in audio-visuals as his entry ticket to coaching.

At UP, Gregorio played three years for the senior varsity. He wasn’t a star and he’ll be the first to admit he was just a “marginal” player. But he loved the game and found a way to be professionally involved in the sport.

Eric Altamirano was then the UP coach and enlisted Gregorio to join his staff as a video coordinator in 1997. “I introduced scouting by video,” said Gregorio. “I made good use of what I learned in school. I broke down videos and did a lot of scouting. I found video technology to be a great tool for teaching basketball.”

Altamirano, meanwhile, moved to Purefoods as head coach but in 2002, was seconded to the national team as one of Joseph Uichico’s assistants to prepare for the Busan Asian Games. Gregorio had just been hired to assist Altamirano at Purefoods and was suddenly dumped on the hotseat. With no head coaching experience, Gregorio seized the opportunity to do what he could in Altamirano’s absence. Lo and behold, Gregorio piloted Purefoods to the 2002 Governors Cup title. Against all odds, Purefoods eliminated San Miguel Beer in the semifinals and outlasted Alaska in the Last Dance.

The feat rewarded Gregorio with a co-Coach of the Year award in 2002. Chot Reyes shared the honor.

When Altamirano returned, Gregorio was back as an assistant and in 2003-04, was designated to call the shots for his alma mater in the UAAP. It wasn’t long after that in 2004, Gregorio was named Purefoods head coach.

In 2005-06, Gregorio piloted Purefoods to the All-Filipino crown and this time, earned solo recognition as Coach of the Year that season.

Gregorio’s rise from video coordinator to head coach parallels a similar climb to the top by Miami Heat’s Fil-Am mentor Erik Spoelstra.

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Now that Gregorio has established himself as a championship coach, his new mission is to make a difference in the lives of others beyond basketball. Winning more titles for Purefoods, of course, is a priority but there’s something more to life that motivates Gregorio to reach out particularly to the less fortunate.

“I’m as passionate in my new mission as I am about basketball,” said Gregorio. “I’m dedicating the rest of my life to try to make our world a better place to live in. I’m proud of my achievements in the PBA. I won my first title before I turned 30 and it was as an interim coach with no head coaching experience. To me, that was my way of expressing to never back down from a challenge, to be the best you can be when the opportunity presents itself.”

Gregorio said visiting fourth-class municipalities to preach the gospel of basketball is as exciting as coaching the game.

“I’ve been to different places and when I speak with people, I talk about looking for the ticket out of poverty,” he said. “I talk about saying no to vices and playing sports. I talk about my life, how I was given the chance to coach and how I made the most of the opportunity. I talk about discipline and hard work as the keys to success.”

Gregorio said in the PBA, coaches neutralize each other with their knowledge of the game but what makes the difference is how they are able to motivate the players to give it all they’ve got on the court.

“My philosophy is based on teamwork, that I take care of my responsibilities to the players and they’ll take care of their responsibilities to the team,” he explained. “There’s no ‘i’ in teamwork. My feeling is winning a game goes beyond the Xs and Os. It’s about getting the players to dive for the loose ball, to play defense, to cover for each other, to make the big plays, to be mentally tough.”

What has strengthened Gregorio’s resolve through the years is his unflinching faith in God.

“I always start practices with a prayer,” said Gregorio. “I try to be the best I can be but not everything is determined by man because in the end, it is God’s will that prevails. Everything has a reason for happening and I have strong faith in God. What we all do is for His glory.”

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As for his family life, Gregorio said his world revolves around his wife Jin Salgado (whose father Gene was once a Letran cager and an alternate in the national team) and their two children, Ysabelle, 8, and Ramon Jose, 6. “My motivation is to give my children a better life than I have,” he said. “We have strong family ties. When I come home after a loss, my kids always greet me, saying it’s okay, we still love you. That tells me there’s more to life than basketball.”

In the coming season, Gregorio said the outlook is bright for Purefoods. He has brought back Marc Pingris and Paul Artadi then added Rico Maierhofer, Chris Timberlake and Rafi Reavis. Gone are Celino Cruz, Enrico Villanueva, Rich Alvarez, Paolo Bugia, Topex Robinson and Richard Yee. Back in the fold are James Yap, Kerby Raymundo, Nino Canaleta, Roger Yap, P. J. Simon, Jondan Salvador, Don Allado, Romel Adducul and Jonathan Fernandez.