Ball is Redemption: Rob Ricafort’s Fight for his Right to Play and for his Second Chance
To play in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines’ (UAAP) league is a dream come true for any athlete of its member universities as it endows not just medals but the honor to represent their respective universities. However, for University of the Philippines (UP) starting player Rob Ricafort, shooting at the hoops of the UAAP’s court for UP is more than just a dream, it is redemption.
Donning the number 2 jersey, Ricafort debuted his first and last season on the UAAP as a Fighting Maroon on September 23, during UP’s game with De La Salle University (DLSU) on the first round, on its second quarter, at the season 80, despite UAAP’s Board of Trustees (BOT) decision not to let Ricafort play.
This was all made possible thanks to the Temporary Restraining Order issued by the court, from the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 19 Judge Marlo Magdoza-Malagar, as Fighting Maroons coach have announced too on September 22.
Thus, Ricafort was declared ineligible by a technicality since he will turn 25 on January 28. According to the rules of UAAP, an athlete must not turn 25 within the season regardless of which semester.
Ricafort strongly defended himself, not just in the court in the basketball, but as well in the court of the law.
"I'm 24 now until January 28. Tapos na basketball season. But that they are saying, it still applies to me dahil sa buong season 'yun including the second semester like volleyball," said Ricafort.
"I'm grateful that he gave me a chance to play that is why it is so heartbreaking to be honest na biglang they take it away like that," he added.
Likewise, the UP management also supported him on his fight as they made their appeal to the UAAP Board of Trustees, however, it was denied.
“Let’s not lose hope, I honestly believe that God is with me. Hopefully to soften the hearts of the [UAAP] board, to maybe reconsider the decision, he said. “It’s one and done, it’s my first and last year. Maybe they could understand that it’s not about technicalities anymore,” Ricafort added.
In this fight, he was joined not just his teammates, coach, the UP Community, but as well as social media with the hashtag #DontRobRob.
"Rob Ricafort chose to fight for a chance, for a change. If you know his personal story, you will understand that this is no longer just about ball for him; this is about his life," said UP head coach Bo Perasol in a statement. "Playing in the UAAP was his dream," he added.
With all the support he was getting from his teammates, the UP Community, and the social media, Ricafort fought for his right to play.
"Honestly, it's been hell emotionally and mentally but I've been trying to cope with it. I didn't know I'll be getting so much support in social media. It's crazy. It's overwhelming. I'm humbled by the support especially the UP community, my coaches, and my team. I'm still part of the team, according to them so we are going to keep on fighting," said Ricafort.
Although he felt bad because of the decision but despite that, he still practiced with the Fighting Maroons and continued his fight.
"I won't quit. I think I worked so hard to quit," he said.
The six-foot-three forward did not quit on his fight against his right. But he did quit on something quite right before.
What makes Rob Ricafort’s story very dramatic is not just his ineligibility to play in the UAAP, but rather his background before he went to the grounds of the court of the ball.
“Before UP, I took an LOA [Leave of Absence] because I had to go to drug rehabilitation,” he expressed. “I got dependent kasi on stuff. Noong time na ‘yun, sobrang gulo ng buhay ko. I felt like parang wala nang direction.”
'I had a flashback of everything I did). Maybe this is what I get. Taking what I love to do away,' he added.
He stayed in for 10 months on his first drug rehabilitation, and it was mostly a practical, military-based approach program. “Sobrang hirap talaga (it was really hard), mentally I was broken down,” he said about his experience on his drug rehabilitation.
After his rehabilitation, Ricafort had a difficulty of going back to where he stopped,
“I didn’t know where to start to pick up my life. ‘Yung comfort zone ko before going to rehab is
my friends that used to [do drugs with me]. In my head, I felt like I needed to reach out to them. Of course that’s not gonna lead to anything good.”
Thus, being lost after this rehabilitation led him to another program, and this time, Ricafort went of his own will on a 6-month program in Pampanga.
“What it is is that it’s making you realize that you are an addict or an alcoholic,” he explained his new program. “‘Yun ‘yung first step ng pag-change eh, accepting. At first kasi ‘di ko matanggap eh.”
“I was educated about what I was going through. And I have a support group outside of my family na nakakaintindi doon sa situation ko. I felt at home there. It’s a very humbling experience.”
After undergoing this rehabilitation, Ricafort got reunited with his friend from DLSU, Gab Banal. With his friend, he got back and even partake on a church support group.
From here on, his love for the sport, which sprouted ever since he was five, started to grow fire again in his heart again and is leaving him empty now that he has no more exposure to it.
More so, Ricafort was part of University of Santo Tomas (UST) in 2012, and DLSU’s Team B lineup in 2013, before he took on LOA due to his drug issues.
Thus, this longing for the ball has fueled up Ricafort to put on back his kicks and go back to one more thing, and that is basketball. Together with his brother-in-law, PBA star Jimmy Alapag, he would go to workouts and even attend practice at the Arellano University with Jio Jalalon and Kent Salado.
Despite those efforts, he still was not able to return to the main court.
That was why when he had the chance to meet Coach Bo Perasol during a tune-up game, who was the consultant of Pilipinas Commercial Basketball League (PCBL) and about to be the current head coach of the UP Fighting Maroons at that time, Ricafort grabbed that chance and approached the said coach.
“Maybe this is my chance to try to play college basketball again,” Ricafort thought to himself when he met head coach Bo Perasol, who then served as a consultant in the PCBL. “I was like ‘Coach, I heard na baka maging head coach daw kayo ng UP (you may be the new head coach of UP), is there a chance that maybe I could try out and play for you?’”
“When I was able to talk to him, parang that was a God given moment na nagkatagpo kami,” said Perasol. “Lahat ng pinuntahan, hindi siya nabigyan ng chance. All he needed was a chance. Sabi ko lang, ‘you have to do whatever is required of you sa pag-aaral, and ‘yung requirement ko sa iyo sa court,’” Perasol said to Ricafort.
Ricafort then got into UP and finished his residency year. Training with the Maroon squad at the end of the day made him closer to them.
“What’s amazing is [that] they know my story,” Ricafort shared. “I was having personal struggles in my head, but in the beginning they were already welcoming, accepting. Nakita ko sila how they treated each other eh, parang magkakapatid talaga eh,” he said.
Thus, with all the drama in his life, Rob successfully made his way back, and everyone is happy and is ever supportive of him.
“Rob took great lengths to assert his rights. The court has spoken. Nobody has the power to deny him that right which the court has protected. As his coach, the least I could do is to help him get back up, after stumbling in life many times over in the past,” he said.
Right after his first game, his happiness also brought happiness to the entire UP Community as they won their game with the powerhouse team of the Green Archers.
“I was so happy, I don’t even have the right word to give you,” Ricafort said. “When I step on the court, I just try to bring the energy, I try to motivate everybody, especially when we’re going down. I have to tell everybody that we still got this.”
“I guess I feel lucky too when I step on the court,” he added laughingly.
Rob Ricafort did not just win for UP, but he won his battles within him with the ball of redemption, and that is what makes him a true winner in his first and last season in the league.
