Professor, manager, fan

When I was deciding what classes to take for the first semester of the previous academic year, several upperclassmen advised me to enrol in the Public Relations class under a certain Professor Jazmines. They told me that everyone in the class would be given media passes to the Men's Basketball Tournament, and we would cover the different games and conduct interviews with the players and coaches, among others. It all sounded like the perfect class to me. After all, I had always been a big fan of the UAAP (and I was still unsure about whether or not I was going to be chosen to be the school's courtside reporter that season). I lined up to be enlisted, and thankfully, the secretary of the Journalism Department managed to secure me a slot. Little did I know that it would end up being, in my opinion, the best class I have taken to date.

On the first day of class, I was surprised to see a middle-aged lady wearing a Fighting Maroons shirt, black jogging pants and rubber shoes walk in. I still remember the first words she uttered — "Halata bang excited na ako?" Typical professor? Most definitely not. UP diehard fan? Yes. But so much more than that too.

Ma. Theresa Jazmines, fondly called Ma'am Tessa or Ma'am Jazz by her students, graduated AB Journalism from the UP College of Mass Communication in 1968 and obtained her Master's Degree in Communication in 1975. Since then, she's been a professor, PR practitioner, sports columnist, team manager and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs for UP Diliman.

An only child of a father who was a big basketball and baseball fan, becoming a sports fan came naturally to Ma'am Jazz. "I remember I was still in grade school, and I was already rooting for teams in the MICAA, the commercial basketball league which preceded the PBA," she recalls.

So in love with the game, Ma'am Jazz volunteered to manage the UP College of Mass Communication's (CMC) Wildcats — the college's basketball team to the Diliman Games, an inter-college tournament. Under Ma'am Jazz and coaches Ronnie Magsanoc and Eric Altamirano, the CMC Wildcats won two championships and finished third on another year. Ryan Gregorio, now Head Coach of the Meralco Bolts, and actor Richard Gomez suited up for the team then. When the former made it to the varsity squad, he asked Ma'am Jazz to volunteer to be the team's manager as well. Apparently, back then, the team didn't even have one. Delighted at the offer, Ma'am Jazz spoke to the coaching staff and made history by becoming the UAAP's first woman team manager. She held the position from 1992 to 1994 and became assistant manager until 1997.

Ma'am Jazz recalls how, in those years, managing a UAAP team was much simpler. "Our needs were simple," she says. "I would just buy them burgers after the game. On a better day, money wise, I'd treat them to Hong Ning, a Chinese restaurant in Cubao, or on a really good day, at Chateau 1771. I bought them tape and brought in a 'tape man'." Of course, since even back then, UP was one of the teams operating on a lower budget as compared to others, and Ma'am Jazz had to rely on her faculty salary and raise funds and resources from friends to help the team. "I used all the connections I made as a sports writer and later, PR practitioner," she says.

In her time as manager, Ma'am Jazz witnessed a lot of talent, both from the players and mentors alike. "Of all the coaches I served under, the one that made the biggest difference and most immediate impact on the team was Eric Altamirano, who took UP from last place, in the previous season, to fifth in just a few months. In 1996, we made it to the Final Four for the first time since 1986, when UP last won a UAAP title," she says. "We had a very good team, very strong players," she adds, mentioning the likes of Paolo Mendoza, Ogie Gumatay, Bryan Gahol, Dexter Racho, Jonathan Serrano and Allan Gamboa.

True to the stories of our dads about a "rowdier" UAAP in those times, Ma'am Jazz admits that one of her favorite stories to tell is when, during a physical game against Ateneo, a UP player pulled down his pants and showed his behind to the opposing crowd. "Chairs were being thrown! The Ateneo alumni were on their feet. I was enjoying the spectacle. I just stood by the bench, lapping it all in," she says.

Many would be quick to agree that Ma'am Jazz shares the same enthusiasm of basketball as she does for teaching. "I really love teaching, sharing ideas and experiences with students, challenging their creativity and sense of gameness," she says. In fact, Ma'am Jazz manages to consolidate her love for the two by incorporating the Fighting Maroons in her lessons and assignments. Her objective is to generate school spirit in her students. "The more experiences I open up about the Fighting Maroons, the more awareness and appreciation it will generate for them. I think school spirit is one of the purest things to feel, and sana the students and alumni can feel that [for UP]."

More than the steps in putting together a PR campaign, her anecdotes of her work both as a manager and practitioner and the best ways to generate support for the Fighting Maroons, I think it would be safe to say that the greatest lesson Ma'am Jazz passes (or to her previous students, has passed) on to her students is passion. That it is possible to pour your heart — its entirety — into something. That as long as you have the will to make something happen, you CAN make it happen. That as cliché as it sounds, if you love what you do, you will never have to work a day in your life.

In every single thing she's done, she's gone all out. Look for her when you watch UP's last few games. You'll see what I mean.

And true to the way she does her work and lives her life, Ma'am Jazz has one short but sweet message to the UP community, with hopes of increasing support for her favorite team: "Show some love."

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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