MAKING other people's dreams into reality is indeed a fulfilling yet challenging task as it requires a lot of sacrifice and passion. But all of this will come into play with the vital role that a mentor has to play in a person's success.
This is how a starting yet hardworking badminton coach turned student-athletes’ small dreams into reality. Dong Tabanao, 27, a badminton coach based in Capitol Hills, Mati City, Davao Oriental, started his quest of developing and training young badminton players in his hometown in 2012.
With his goal of developing young talents in badminton, Tabanao had started mentoring badminton players in elementary, secondary, and college.
Tabanao, who once represented Davao Region in the Palarong Pambansa as a player for lawn tennis, realized how big the role of a mentor or coach to young student-athletes.
"Actually Palaro player ko sa event nga Lawn tennis sa una from grade school until college. Nagshift ko ug abdminton after college kay dili ko tugtan sa akoa parents mag-Manila for college (I competed in the Palarong Pambansa before but it was for lawn tennis. I shifted from playing lawn tennis to badminton before college because my parent did not allow me to enroll in a school in Manila)," Tabanao told Sun.Star Davao in a Facebook chat Friday afternoon.
Tabanao said he trains young student-athletes from different schools, some with fees, other pro bono. After he earned his Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRM) degree at the Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology (DOSCST), Tabanao chose to mentor aspiring student-athletes to help them match or even surpass what he had achieved during his playing years.
"I want to help these young aspiring athletes to achieve their dreams and compete in international competitions," said the youngest son of Perry and Rosie Tabanao.
Tabanao is aggressive in developing young student-athletes from Mati City who will bring honor to their hometown in national and international competitions in badminton.
"There are parents of trainees who pay me for service but there those trainees who can't afford to pay. I still accept them as long as they remain committed and passionate about playing the sport," Tabanao said.
He also receive honorarium whenever his is needed during summer clinics by the Mati City Sports Office.
As a mentor, Coach Dong prefers to see his student-athletes succeed in big competitions. Mentoring young aspiring badminton players require patience and will power to instill them with the proper skills. But Coach Dong doesn't think that honors and awards can be achieved only through one's skills as values and attitude are also deemed important.
Attitude, according to Coach Dong, is the most important value he always instill to his trainees as all good players have good manners and attitude.
"I also teach them about values about life. An athlete may not be successful today but there is a bright future ahead of him or her. There are better opportunity waiting if you just continue to do your best," Tabanao said.
Aside from the monetary benefits he gets from mentoring young aspiring student-athletes, Coach Dong become more inspired to perform his job.
"Happy na ‘ko nga makita lang nako na nagapersevere ug motivated na makatuon sa sport na badminton (I'm satisfied seeing them persevere and motivated in learning the ropes of the sport of badminton)," Tabanao said.