Enzo out of bowling pool

MANILA, Philippines - Once considered to be Hall of Famer Paeng Nepomuceno’s heir apparent, Wichita State’s Academic All-American bowler Enzo Hernandez has been dropped from the Philippine national pool for failing to show up for the seven-day tryouts last November and is disqualified from competing at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Kuala Lumpur this year.

Hernandez, 20, played in four events at the 2015 SEA Games and the closest he came to a podium finish was fifth place in the men’s team of five. But the three-time Asian Youth silver medalist is determined to bounce back with a vengeance this year after two toughening seasons in the US NCAA under coach Gordon Vadakin who has piloted Wichita State to 18 of its 20 national titles. The problem is he’s been disenfranchised.

Hernandez’ father Bernard, a government lawyer as Assistant Solicitor General, said his son couldn’t join the combined training pool eliminations at the Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall Bowling Center in Cainta because of a conflict in his school schedule. The bowling prodigy, who is right-handed but bowls with his left, appealed to head coach Nepomuceno for a chance to try out during the one-week Thanksgiving break but was turned down. The eliminations were scheduled on Nov. 5, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26 and 27 and players who missed more than one tryout were automatically given the pink slip. 

A total of 38 male players attended the eliminations and 14 were named to the pool.  As a result, Hernandez lost his P12,600 monthly allowance from the PSC. Two others from last year’s pool were cut – Niccolo Olaivar who finished No. 20 in the tryouts and Marky del Carmen who was No. 33. Philippine Bowling Federation (PBF) president Steve Hontiveros and secretary-general Alex Lim also took out head coach Johnson Cheng from the PSC list.

The other day, eliminations for six men’s and six women’s slots on the national team bound for the coming SEA Games began. While Hernandez is out of contention, his younger sister Bea, a 17-year-old Grade 11 student from Poveda, has a shot at making the women’s squad.

“Enzo is still hoping for a chance to make the team,” said his father. “The two reasons why he chose to play for Wichita State are the school allows him to represent the Philippines in international events and there’s no time to relax because the bowling program is the best in the US and his teammates are world junior players. He’ll be back in Manila in May for a break. Over the phone, he told me he’ll do anything to play for our country if it doesn’t create a controversy. But it’s up to the PBF.”

Last August, Hernandez’ parents filed a petition before PSC chairman Butch Ramirez to investigate what they claimed to be a grave abuse of discretion in their son’s removal from the Philippines’ four-man team that played at the World Youth Championships in Lincoln, Nebraska, on July 24-Aug. 3. Hernandez was seeded into the squad because of his performance in the qualifying Asian Youth event and exempt from tryouts. He arrived here from the US in May and was never absent from team practice. But Hernandez’ decision to play at the Mixed Open Masters of the Playdium Ten-Pin Bowling Association instead of attending a required national team activity led to his shock dismissal.

Lim said it was a sign of disrespect for Hernandez to miss the fitting of team uniforms, Mass and send-off dinner. Lim insisted the decision was not arbitrary and the removal was supported by the PBF officers and coaches. “Because of his acts and omissions, Enzo demonstrated beyond doubt that he lacks the essential requirements for being part of the youth national team especially on account of attitude and discipline,” said Lim.

Hernandez explained that joining the Mixed Open Masters, which he won, was preparation for the World Youth Championships and “the last thing I wanted was to be disrespectful and disobedient.” He said he wanted to use the tournament to get used to his newly-drilled balls and test “lane traffic conditions.” Hernandez was remorseful and said, “there are no words to describe how sorry I really am for what has happened and I understand the decision that was made as a result ... rest assured that I will do everything I can, no matter what, to make up for what I have done.”

Despite Hernandez’ apology, he was not given a second chance. Hernandez’ father said his spot on the team was taken over by a player who never attended the tryouts. “Because our participation was funded by taxpayers’ money through the PSC, the PBF had the responsibility of making sure we were represented by the best team possible,” said Hernandez’ father. “This was a case of a national athlete playing in his last junior tournament, appealing for reconsideration. But the PBF rejected the appeal. Why couldn’t he be given another chance? Some NSAs resort to recruiting Fil-Ams to improve their chances of performance but with Enzo, we have a US-trained local who is a potential medal winner. Was there a compelling reason to deprive our country of enlisting an athlete who can make us all proud?”