Who Calls the Shots? The Journey of the MGCNLCA Badminton Coaches
The MGCNLCA Badminton Varsity has thrived through victory and defeat ever since its establishment. Behind the success and challenges of these athletes is a coach who understands his players and motivates them to work hard. It can be a very challenging task, but when done right, it can enable the entire team to reach their maximum potential. Head coach Owen Lopez and assistant coaches Bless Linaban and Rey Buizon, have proven their coaching skills and improved the MGCNL badminton team’s skill sets.
Each coach's rich history plays a pivotal role in shaping the development of the badminton varsity athletes. Their journey as players enables them to share their knowledge, teachings, and insights on the sport.
From the early stages of the badminton varsity up until the present, Buizon has been coaching numerous athletes in their high school badminton journey. Buizon started his journey as a basketball player in elementary, however, due to its physical nature, he joined the volleyball team at Far Eastern University (FEU) during high school. During college, he joined the volleyball team at the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) and was captain for 4 years. During their off-season, their coach made them play badminton as conditioning, which made him love badminton as well. Having coached the team for the longest time, Buizon mentions, “Because I started coaching the players when they were still very young and just starting off...seeing the players under me develop and transform into very competitive and mature players has been one of the most rewarding and memorable moments.”
A team without a head coach is never complete. Lopez recalled his journey as an athlete, saying, “Thirteen years old ako when I started my journey as an athlete in Camp Crame Elementary School. I first started playing baseball for one year, then moved to the badminton club where we trained during the summer. After two and a half or three years, I was able to play in the national team of the Philippines.” Lopez stayed with the national team even until college. He played for De La Salle University (DLSU) for a year and then moved to FEU to continue as a player. While still a student at FEU, Lopez began his coaching journey by assisting the DLSU varsity team. He then served in the Philippine Army for six years while also being a part of the Philippine national team. As a player on the Philippine Army Badminton Team, he represented his division and participated in numerous tournaments across the league. In 2014, he eventually became the head coach for DLSU. In 2019, Lopez decided to join MGCNL as the school was looking for a new badminton coach.
A few years passed before the formation of the MGCNL Badminton Club in 2023, which called for a helping hand to train the varsity team. With the need for an assistant coach, MGCNL recruited Bless Linaban, a fresh graduate and former Green Shuttler. Having been granted a full scholarship throughout his collegiate years, and winning multiple awards in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), Linaban shared, “For me, it’s a way to pay back to the sport that enabled me to graduate from a prestigious school. Maybe in my own little way, I will be able to maximize the potential of deserving players.”
Our school's coaches are, without a doubt, passionate and skilled players who only want what's best for the team. With the new addition of Linaban to help train the high school and elementary teams, the badminton varsity is going all-in to end well in the last few tournaments of this school year.
