Catching up with Martin Reyes

I will never forget the looks on the faces of the Fighting Maroons when they sang the UP Naming Mahal for the last time in Season 73. Sporting their then black uniforms, they hung their heads in shame. Their final record read 0-14. Only a few boys were able to glance at the crowd before heading to the locker room. Martin Reyes, however, applauded those who had come out to support them — a gesture of thanks to those who, despite the team's performance and problems, still showed some school spirit.

I had always wondered what was running through his mind, and those of his teammates as well, during that last game and the rest of the season, for that matter. After all, it may be safe to say that the Fighting Maroons had talented players, noted mentors and, though not as strong as that of this season, a supportive alumni network. So where were they lacking?

Above anything else, Martin attributes his team's poor performance to the lack of consistency in the system. "In my five playing years, I was under three coaches," he recalls, referring to Joe Lipa, Aboy Castro and Boyet Fernandez. "We could never understand the need to keep changing coaches. Everyone had to adjust every one or two years, so laging naninibago yung mga players," he added.

Martin also acknowledged how for the past two seasons, the Fighting Maroons have had what he considers a deeper bench and a stronger line up. "Now, the team has legit big men in Chris Ball and Raul Soyud. That time, [when I was playing], we only had Magi Sison. Woody Co was an undersized 4," he says.

Martin may miss the team and playing competitively (these days, he only plays ball for fun and with his friends), but more than anything else, it's playing for State U that he misses the most. "Iba talaga when you play for UP. Iba yung feeling," he says.

"So, why UP anyway?" I asked him, aware that he had graduated from the De La Salle Zobel Junior Archers basketball program a champion. I even remember being present, with the rest of my high school, when we won that game against UPIS. Martin admits that he had a hard time deciding between going to La Salle with his best friend, former Green Archer Simon Atkins. But in the end, he chose the school, which, in his words, gave him the best experience.

"UP wanted me first, and true enough, in my first playing year, I got decent playing time already," he says. "The outcome wasn't really good, but I don't regret going to UP. Lahat - from basketball, to academics, to UP life - can't compare talaga," he added with conviction.

Martin may have left UP winless, but there's no doubt he's gained enough knowledge, skills and values — whether in basketball, life and even love — from everyone he's encountered in the university to come out a winner in his next endeavor, which just happens to be a sneaker store.

The Shoe Business

I'm not exactly a shoeaholic, nor am I very well-versed in shoe brands and models, but I have to admit — I love a guy sporting good looking kicks (basketball shoes or sneaks, particularly). So when Sole Academy, a multi-brand sports and lifestyle store, opened along Katipunan Avenue a year ago, I made it a point to stalk every guy who'd enter it. Just kidding.

Sole Academy is the brainchild of Martin and four other business partners. He explained how he and his business partners had already owned separate outlet stores carrying basketball shoes. They decided to work together and put up a store that would cater to the youth and their lifestyle. One might ask why they saw the need to put up another sports store, considering the many brand options already available. For Martin, it wasn't necessarily about competition. "We wanted to complement each other," he said in reference to other brands. "But Sole Academy is more on the lifestyle styles," he added, mentioning how they carry Nike Originals, Vans and Puma Tigers, among others.

Wanting to garner attention and potential buyers early on, Sole Academy came up with an awesome way to announce their opening by holding a sneaker hunt in several universities. People just had to follow Sole Academy's Twitter account, wait for the clues and find the sneakers before anyone else did.

"My partner Carlo Trillo met with me and told me about a concept he researched on. Ray Allen did it in the States. Pina sneaker hunt din niya shoes niya. He just tweeted about it. So naisip namin, why not do it, since we were opening pa lang?" he recalls. It definitely created buzz, and soon, people were flocking to the store.

I just had to ask Martin why a talented athlete like him chose to go into entrepreneurship instead of pursuing a career in basketball. I don't want to have to divulge into his explanation, so I'll just say that after his stint with the Fighting Maroons, Martin sought divine intervention and just chose to go along this path. I asked him if he was happy with his decision, and his answer was short and sweet. "Yes, no regrets."

For Martin, when it comes to athletes who, in their last playing year in college, seem confused about whether or not to pursue a career in their sport or go into something else, his advice is simple. "Know if basketball [or your sport], is not for you. I'm sure there are other areas in your life you like and enjoy doing." Martin also believes that there is no excuse for not being serious about one's studies.

And especially for athletes on scholarship, "Finish school first," he says firmly. "Not everyone is blessed with that opportunity. Ba't mo pa sasayangin?"

With Sole Academy doing well and his Chic Boy franchise newly opening, who knows what business venture he'll go into next? We'll just have to wait and see.

By the way, for all the sneaker heads out there, take note: Sole Academy's one year anniversary is coming up, so watch out for something big!

Editor's note: The blogger's views do not represent Yahoo! Southeast Asia's position on the topic or issue being discussed in this post.

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