In whatever endeavor an individual chooses to pursue, be it in sports or in other aspects of life, the one thing that stands constant and crucial in his full development is the moral, physical and academic support that he gets during his formative years.
These things come in handy as he battles through life’s myriad of trials. Factors that determine his chances to survive and succeed.
Nothing is truer to this than in Jan Godfrey Seno’s case, who received ample support from his school – the University of San Carlos-Basic Education Department (USC-BED).
When the 15-year-old Jan Godfrey or “Noy” Seno, Cebu City’s current toast in junior tennis, decided to try his luck abroad, USC-BED was there to bid him good luck.
And later on when he decided to return home, the school was there again to welcome him with open arms.
This seemingly trivial show of support is part of what Seno calls his formula for success, helping him push himself to the limits as he continues to grind on the courts in local and national tennis tournaments.
“I’m very thankful to my school, USC-BED, for their unending support to me. In times nga pressured na kaayo ko sa tennis, ang USC-BED gihimo jud ang tanan para dili ko ma pressure sa academics,” Seno recently told Cebu Daily News.
“The school also supports me in terms of money by giving me allowance whenever there are school meets that I compete in. But the biggest and most important thing that it has given me is its understanding with regards to my chosen field,” he explained.
Seno said USC-BED’s entire faculty sees to it that he is given a special schedule for the exams that he may miss every time he competes out of town. The school, likewise, provides him pointers on what to study so he will not be left behind by his classmates when he returns to class.
“Kung naa koy ma miss na activity, mohatag jud sila sa ilang time and effort to help me para ma-cover up nako ang akong na miss,” Seno said.
“Not only sa schedules, but also I thank all of my teachers na pirmi jud mohatag nako ug mga inspiring words. Foremost among them are my principal, Mrs. Carmelita Datan; my present adviser, Mr. Jason Guadalupe; and my past advisers,
Mr. Manolito Montalvo and Ma’am Joy Laos,” the Bogo, Cebu-native Seno said.
“My gratitude also goes to my tennis coach Adonis Lominoque, who is always there to guide me, and of course, to my classmates, especially to Robert, Pat, Cath, Nikki and Shyne for helping me and for always giving me encouragement in my academics,” said Seno.
Seno also thanked his family especially his parents, his siblings and cousins for their moral, financial and spiritual support. And for being his rod of strength at times when things don’t seem to fall into place.
Seno is fresh from a two-title romp in the recent 2015 Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala regional age group Mactan leg at the Mactan Island Tennis Club, Lapu-Lapu City where he snatched the premier Boys 18-Under and 16-Under crowns.
He beat Norman Joseph Enriquez in the Under-18 finals and later annexed the 16-Under division crown by crushing Francis Hidalgo.
For his sterling feats, Seno jumped from No. 52 in the previous Philta rankings to No. 15 last February. And with the solid support he has been getting from family, friends and from his school, being No. 1 is just around the corner for the country’s hottest junior netter.