Former football star Alvin Ocampo to be inducted in DLSU Hall of Fame

MANILA, Philippines – Alvin Ocampo has played big matches for his alma mater De La Salle University (DLSU) and the Philippine men’s national team. 

He’s coached big games as well in the now defunct United Football League (UFL) and in the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP).

But when he received a letter from the De La Salle Alumni Association last December 22 that he was selected for induction to the school’s Hall of Fame for outstanding achievements in football, Ocampo was floored.

“I was overwhelmed,” succinctly put Ocampo, who was at a loss for words considering that when he gets going on about something, he can ramble on. 

With a little more effort, he added, “At least the ‘Ocampo’ family name is still not forgotten.”

Alvin charted his own path even when his late father, Ed Ocampo, the former Ateneo two-sport star in basketball and football as well as a national player for both sports and a championship coach in the Philippine Basketball Association, pushed for him to switch sports.

“It was football that I fell in love with and with football I wanted to be in,” said the younger Ocampo.

Nevertheless, Alvin beams with pride. “I am glad that I was able to achieve the status that my father had with Ateneo. That means we both represented our schools well.”

That is actually an understatement.

Wearing the green and white, Alvin helped his school win its first two UAAP men’s football championships in 1997 and 1998. He was named Rookie of the Year in Season 58, co-Most Valuable Player in Season 59, and by the next year, he had the award all to himself.

For flag and country, Alvin was a stud who suited up for 10 years from 1995-2002 and from 2006 to 2007.

“When you start playing the game, you play it for fun and because you enjoy it. Then you know what your father achieved so you want to be as good as him. But after that, it’s about giving back to my school, to the country, and to the game.”

“I only played in one Olympic Qualifying tournament,” he pointed out. “My father played in four.” 

In the last UAAP football season, Season 81, Alvin coached the green booters to the championship round.