Erik Spoelstra: Homecoming

A scorching homecoming

Text and Photos by Josiah Israel Albelda

13 August 2010

SAN PABLO CITY, Laguna - As the bus slowly crawled through the cramped entrance of San Pablo Colleges, Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra's eyes widened, visibly in awe of what was happening right before him.

A marching band played with electricity. Crowds - on the oven-hot grounds and all the school balconies - roared and cheered wildly. And the school and city officials beamed with smiles extending far beyond their ears.

This is San Pablo City, the home of the Celino family. The home of Erik Celino Spoelstra.

"Welcome home!" screamed a streamer held by an SPC grade schooler.

For the first time in almost 40 years, Spoelstra is home - and he surely relished the moment.

The 39-year-old mentor of superstars Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh swept by this sleepy Southern Tagalog city Thursday for a four-hour blitz, conducting a mini-training camp for kids and dropping by the SPC Medical Center before heading for his mother's ancestral home.

"I'm very proud of my heritage," he said. "My mother taught me Filipino values, hospitality and the importance of family."

Spoelstra received a dose of hospitality he can only imagine in his wildest dreams as San Pabloñans, led by SPC official and Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) head Noli Eala, treated him like a long lost son.

The NBA's second-youngest coach got a number of plaques from the city government and the PSC while NBA Asia Business Development Director Ed Winkle received a citation from the San Pablo City council in behalf of the league.

Spoelstra discussed with the local media the importance of staying healthy and fit as part of his tour of duty in the country for NBA Fit. He stressed the significance of eating the right food, having regular exercise and maintaining a healthy lifestyle for Filipinos.

While putting emphasis on why he was really here, he also gave hope that a first Filipino player in the NBA could be in his way a few years from now.

"Around 15 to 20 years ago, nobody would have thought that a Filipino-American like me could coach in the NBA," Spoelstra, the first with Asian lineage to take a head coaching job in North American professional sports. "I hope what happned to me have opened doors, especially for Filipinos, in the NBA."

He pointed out that the league is getting more global, thus, the idea of a Filipino cager plying his trade in the "Big League" is not that farfetched anymore.

After that, Spoelstra, together with amiable Heat assistant coach David Fizdale, conducted drills and hoops activities for around 50 kids from San Pablo.

The scorching heat at the cemented court of the SPC did not deter the duo from giving their all, with Spoelstra making instant connection with the hundreds of students, who repeatedly chanted "Go Heat! Go Heat!" in the bleachers.

As a matter of fact, the youthful mentor was so engrossed with the crowd that he even rolled on the floor laughing after seeing a pair of children clad in Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic gear. The boisterous audience played along as they heavily booed the two.

"Oh my god!" he shouted in jest even as members of the NBA staff dressed the two in "NBA Cares" shirts.

Spoelstra and team then proceeded to a hospital to meet and greet the city's medical professionals before checking out his Cocount Rehabilitation Project in his mother's home barangay, around 15 minutes from the city proper.

It was, indeed, a very special trip for Spoelstra, who promised his co-San Pabloñans that it will not be the first and the last time they would touch base with each other.

With the way he was greeted by his hometown supporters, Coach Spo may be very well traversing the three-hour ride from Manila in the very near future yet again. ###