Manifesting vision, finding your superpower

Cogito ergo sum. I think, therefore I am. – René Descartes

It is probably the most common dead-end story in sports, a sort of athletic Peter Principle. The outstanding high school or college athlete suddenly comes upon the realization that he’s probably not going to go much further competitively. At this point, many simply give up, and become something entirely different, often seeking their future overseas. But not everyone does. A fortunate few doggedly cling to a vision, and take themselves on to something much greater and still in line with what their heart wants.

“I think I was well aware that I wasn’t going to be a professional athlete,” admits Erwin Valencia, physical therapist and wellness expert for the New York Knicks. “The key was to discover what my superpower is. If I couldn’t be the superstar, then maybe my goal was to be the star behind the superstar. Every player needs a coach. Every athlete needs a trainer. Every up and coming leader needs a mentor. So for me it was more to the point of who are those who take care of the ones who need caring. My superpower is taking care of people.”

Well before graduating from the University of the Philippines in 1999, Erwin had already formed in his mind a clear, powerful vision. He was going to be caring for the athletes of an NBA team. He studied this new-fangled field called sports medicine, which was almost unheard of at the time. The former athlete was also aware that he was going to put in a lot of work. This led to a winding path around the world, learning the newest, best – and most unorthodox – methods of maintaining and restoring the performance of the world’s highest-level athletes. All told, the journey took a decade and a half before his ultimate dream came calling.

“I think some people, they are want to be given their dreams. They’re not willing to go through the challenge and the struggle that determines what that is, like I did, like you did,” adds Valencia, whose trip back to the Philippines was supported in part by Anta. “We didn’t have access to the internet. I had to go to the library and find out which US colleges had sports medicine in them.”

In an additional sacrifice for his dream, Erwin also spent significant time – at reduced pay – in baseball. Meanwhile, as sports medicine and athlete care was growing in the US, it was initially dominated by Europeans who looked down their noses at their American colleagues. This culture clash propelled a search for alternatives, less snobbish experts who would be able to blend with a team. Even without him sending out a resumé, word got around about this American-educated Filipino with non-traditional techniques who was getting results. Valencia was actually in Europe when not just one, but two NBA teams called him to come in for a meeting. Though he was initially headed to Florida to interview for the Miami Heat, the Knicks intercepted him, and piqued his interest. For the last eight years, the traveling shaman has been part of the most racially diverse medical staff in the league, perhaps in all of sport. New York City’s strong immigrant culture also rewards outsiders who are willing to work hard to get to where they want to go.

As a Filipino making a valuable contributor to the success of an NBA team, Valencia continuously receives a stream of e-mails, phone calls and messages from social media from countrymen and fellows looking to join his profession, asking how he did it. And though he has told his story thousands of times, he realizes how valuable those few moments of his time are in sparking similar passion in others.

More on Erwin Valencia’s remarkable odyssey in an upcoming column.