Rebo KM Cruz - An Encounter with the Champ!

I have known many players for the years I have been involved in the sport. And I can truly say that there are no two players alike. Like the thousands of possible blade and rubber combinations there are as many playing styles as to the player. And it is interesting to know what makes these top of the class athletes differ from the common many? Looks can be very deceiving for table tennis. A trained nine year old may seem to care more about his/her PSP but when given a racket can easily devour a 16 year old high school varsity.

I’ve played and known Rebo since my college days at NCAA. He already got me with his humble appearance and all so warm personality but believe me once he come to play he transforms. Let us hear from the man with the big heart himself what he has got to say:    

The Travelling Coach: How long have you been playing the sport?

Rebo: I have been playing the sport for 14 years.

The Travelling Coach: Whom would you say introduced you or influenced you to play table tennis?

Rebo: My father.

The Travelling Coach: What organization or school are you handling/coaching as of now?

Rebo: Meralco Table Tennis Club, University of Perpetual Help Dalta Sytem Las Pinas, Green Paddle.

The Travelling Coach: Weapon of Choice (Current Racket Set up)?

Rebo:  Andro Shifter Red and Black for my rubber and, an Arylate Carbon wood (Sponsored by Mr. Jackson Tan)

The Travelling Coach: Memorable Achievements?

 Rebo: Played in the World Championships, Asian championships, trained in China twice, Silver Medal for the Milo Asean Junior Table Tennis Team Championships under Coach Oscar Yoshihiro Santelices.

The Travelling Coach: What is your favorite coaching style/Strategy?  

Rebo: I believe less is more.  I focus only on what skill set a player “really” needs in order to win in a particular class.

The Travelling Coach: What do you love the most in table tennis?

Rebo: Its complexity and science. When spin, speed, trajectory, power, human movement, and the body’s adaptations come into play and mix with each other I can’t help but feel amazed how our sport becomes so brilliantly intricate. As the late former world champion Mr. Ogimura posits, “Table Tennis is like sprinting in a 100m race while playing chess.” It’s hard to play with different opponents using different kinds of rubbers alone and yet we still have sandpaper and hard bat to use.

The Travelling Coach: Favorite stroke/kill shot?

Rebo: None. I both love to attack and defend.

The Travelling Coach: How do you see table tennis in the Philippines a few years from now?  

Philippine Table Tennis, under the current leadership of President Ting Ledesma, is now making painstaking strides towards the betterment of our beloved sport.  It will be a herculean task to lift our sport up from deep slumber of the past. We are neither blood-related nor closely related but I’ve known him personally since I was eleven years old as we both trained for years in the Philippine team. I believe he has the heart to father us out of the darkness we have been in for so long. I hope that we all give him a CHANCE and a HAND, and someday realize our dream to see Table Tennis as one of the MAINSTREAM sports in our country.

The Travelling Coach: Any words of advice for the novice/beginners?

Rebo: Beginner level is a crucial developmental moment for anybody. This is when you build one’s foundation.  If you start wrong then you have to unlearn everything and start all over again. But when the basics have been instilled and mastered your improvement will be fast and limitless. In my case, I was fortunate to have a personal coach when I began playing at 10 years of age. I acquired the basic motor skills and mastered them. At eleven years old I became the Philippine National Junior Champion. So get a skilled coach. You may or may not have to pay them.  The rewards you will reap will eventually cover all the losses you have incurred and then some as you enter high school and then college, and even when you are seeking employment. In addition, play a lot of matches and learn to serve and receive serves effectively. Experience in these areas of the game is of supreme importance.

Brains and brawns may best describe my friend Rebo Km. I’ve seen him in action coaching and mentoring his trainees in Meralco. He takes time to check and correct each individual participant and still has enough time to bring in some tips and advice.

Let me stop here in a moment and see below Rebo Km’s Career Highlights:

Professional Coaching Experience

• Jan. 2012-Present. University of Perpetual Help Dalta System Las Pinas.
• Jan. 2012-Present. Captain Table Tennis Club.
• Jan.-Mar. 2012. Team Meralco.
• Mar. 2012. Bronze Medal. MVP Olympics. Women’s Singles.
• Nov. 2011-Present. Green Paddle, Caloocan.

Professional Playing Experience

International

• China, Hebei. Liu Tong Club 2001. Philippine Team training for three (3) months.
• Malaysia. 2000. Athlete. The Dawei 2000 World Table Tennis Team Championships.
• China. 1994. Athlete. 12th Asian Table Tennis Championships.
• Philippines. 1994. Athlete. Manila-Fujian Games.
• Singapore. 1994. Bronze Medalist. Milo ASEAN Junior Table Tennis Championships.
• Philippines. 1993. Silver Medalist. Milo ASEAN Junior Table Tennis Championships.
• Malaysia. 1992. Bronze Medalist. Milo ASEAN Junior Table Tennis Championships.
• China. 1991. Athlete. Training and Asian Junior Table Tennis Competition.

Local

·         Dec. 2011: 3^rd Place. Binay Quarterly National Open and Age GroupTournament.

·         1^st Runner-up. Men’s Team Event played for Tatand-Andro Team.11^th Donic Star Sports UP Chancellor’s Cup National Invitational Tournament.

·         2010:1^st Runner-up. Men’s Double’s Event played for Team Quezon City. 3^rd Philippine National Open and Interscholastic Table Tennis Championships.

·         2003: 1^st Runner-up played for Philippine Air Force. Philippine Military Olympic Games.

·         2002: Champion Colegio San Juan De Letran. NCAA 78^TH Season.

·         2001: Champion/MVP Colegio San Juan De Letran. NCAA 77^TH Season.

·         2000. Champion. Men’s Team Event played for Team Makati City. UP Chancellor’s Cup National Invitational Tournament.

·         1999: Champion. Men’s Team Event played for Team Makati City. UP Chancellor’s Cup National Invitational Tournament.

·         1999: Champion. Men’s Double’s Event played for Team Makati City. UP Chancellor’s Cup National Invitational Tournament.

·         SY 1998-1999: Champion. UAAP.

·         SY 1997-1998: Champion. UAAP.

·         1994: Champion. Single’s Event 14 and under. Go Kuan National Age Group.

·         1991: Champion. Single’s Event. PSC Kasali Junior National Table Tennis Championships.

For Fourteen long years his life and his passion for table tennis have merged into one extensive career that has been the beacon of many young athletes in our country today. Rebo Km will continue to inspire many with his principles and track record that gradually evolves and transcend through time.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions or if you want to get in touch with Mr. Rebo please send me your emails at thetravellingcoach@yahoo.com or add me up on Facebook on the same address.