Don’t be afraid to fail, Tiu tells young athletes

BASKETBALL star and TV personality Chris Tiu imparted some of the knowledge that he has gained on his way to superstardom to the  kids, parents and sports enthusiasts during yesterday’s sports seminar entitled “KIDS: Keynotes on the Intelligence, Diet and Sports of your Kid” at the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu campus in Canduman, Mandaue City.

Tiu, a former Ateneo star and now team captain of the RP team, related his humble beginnings where he rarely get to play during his formative years over at Xavier School in San Juan. He also narrated the ups and downs of his career, where he eventually won his first MVP trophy at a tournament in Las Vegas and as a result, he was heavily recruited out of high school.

However, shortly after choosing to go to Ateneo, Tiu once again saw himself glued to the bench which led to his decision to go on a foreign exchange program in Europe. Upon coming back, he led the Blue Eagles to the 2008 crown and afterwards, found himself on the Smart-Gilas Pilipinas squad.

“As an athlete, you have to go through trying times. But in spite of it all, one thing that cannot be bought or earned is integrity. You have to build on your character. Don’t be afraid to fail because pressure only brings out the best,” said Tiu in his talk about “Balancing Sports and Academics.”

He also said that there really wasn’t any secret to balancing studies and sports. Rather, there are just three simple things and these are “hard work, discipline and sacrifice.” Also, he encouraged students to prioritize studies first because sports can only take you as far as your body would allow you to.

Also there to lend their knowledge were Olympic trainer, Jim Saret and physical trainers Eski and Belay Ripoll.

The seminar was attended by approximately 2,000 people according to organizer and SHS-AdC athletic director, Rico Navarro. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio