A Tale Of A Binay Cup Baby

"Table Tennis is like playing chess

and running a hundred meters at the same time."

— The late Grandmaster Bobby Fischer

And now it can be told ...

NASHSPINNER was nine when the Binay Cup was born in 2007 at the Kolesiyum ng Bayan, Washington St., Makati City. His handlers have discovered, and have always believed, that the quarterly Binay Cup, started by the Makati Panthers, would be a great exposure venue for budding Pinoy ponger children.

A pioneer 10U Event entry in the tournament's debut and since then a consistent participant, Nashspinner was undeniably a Binay Cup baby, and his Table Tennis career grew with the tournament.

Adeptly managed by Coaches Gigi Aguinalde, Bong Palermo, Peter Francisco and J. Caril Magaso, we all saw how the tournament evolved into one huge melting pot of Pinoy Table Tennis talents and is now one of the biggest Table Tennis events in the country. 

From its maiden tournament, the Binay Cup has continuously grown every quarter. You will see your kid playing against other kids from as far as La Union or Bacolod or Cebu or Gensan. With this kind of competition, it is so hard to win a medal in Binay Cup. Thus, when your kid does win a Binay Cup medal, surely his Table Tennis training must be on the right path.

In the summer of 2014, Nashspinner (Ryan Rodney A. Jacolo) did the unthinkable. At 16, he finally won the Binay Cup Men's Open Crown, the most-coveted Binay Cup award. By doing so, he has swept all the Binay Cup championships from the 10U Event up to Men's Open Event. 

Surely a tournament record and a feat, his camp believes, could not be duplicated for a long time. 

For whatever its worth, we are glad sharing this particular experience, specifically, to all the ponger parents who are tirelessly investing money, effort and, most of all, time on their precious children to learn and excel in this great sport of Competitive Table Tennis.

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Below is Nashspinner's Binay Cup achievement timelines

from the 10U Event to the Men's Open championship

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During his quest, Nashspinner's road wasn't always smooth nor his path always clear. This was mainly a lesson in patience, perseverance and focus. But it was not all pain either, and far from it. Curious? Now, here's a little story about Nashspinner's bumpy but nonetheless happy Binay Cup ride...

1. 10U Event

Nashspinner captured his 10U crown, plus a 12U Bronze Medal, in the 5th Edition of Binay Cup (3rd quarter of 2008). This first Binay Cup gold came one year after his first attempt, gathering two 10U more bronzes along the way. 

5th Binay Cup: 10U Champion

5th Binay Cup: 12U Bronze Medal

In the succeeding quarter (6th Binay Cup), he successfully defended his 10U crown and closed 2008 with a back-to-back title. 

6th Binay Cup: 10U Champion

... here, the beginnings of a dream slowly took shape.

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2. 12U Event

It was a long two-year drought. For the whole of 2009, Nashspinner only managed to get one 12U Bronze (9th Binay Cup).

It was not until December of 2010 that he aced his 12U event with a Gold in the 14th Binay Cup.

14th Binay Cup: 12U Champion

... winning is definitely addicting. By now, the resolve to dominate the other age group events has firmed up. Nashspinner went into overdrive in training, his handlers riding shotgun.

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3. 14U Event

The Binay Cup was growing rapidly. In the third quarter of 2011, it migrated to its new home — the airconditioned Makati Coliseum.

And Nashspinner stepped on it.

In the 18th Binay Cup (December 2011), the first of the three 14U crowns fell along with a 17U Silver Medal. The 13-year old HS sophomore was slugging it out with college varsity players... and was handsomely prevailing.

18th Binay Cup: 14U Champion

18th Binay Cup: 17U Silver Medal

Nashspinner was playing three different events in the tournament: 14U, 17U & Men's Non-rank. The 19th and the 20th Binay Cups yielded exactly the same results — 14U Gold + 17U Silver. 

19th Binay Cup: 14U Champion

19th Binay Cup: 17U Silver Medal

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20th Binay Cup: 14U Champion

20th Binay Cup: 17U Silver Medal

... reaching a plateau, Nashspinner's camp had some quick decisions to make. 

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4. 17U Event

The following quarter, Nashspinner was bumped one notch up. Although still eligible for 2 more quarters, he no longer competed in the 14U event but set his eyes on 17U and above.

The strategy paid up when the 21st Binay Cup (Sept 2012) saw Nashspinner conquer the 17U Event and snatch the Men's Non-rank Silver.

21st Binay Cup: 17U Silver Medal

This was becoming serious Table Tennis now for the 14-year old HS Junior.

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5. Men's Non-rank Event

Nashspinner was now encroaching in the realm of collegiate standouts, post-graduate veterans, and all local Table Tennis dragons outside of the Philippine National Team.

Again, Nashspinner leveled up in the 22nd Binay Cup (Dec 2012) capturing the first of his two Men's Non-rank titles and spiced it with a 17U Silver. 

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22nd Binay Cup: Men's Non-rank Champion

The second Non-rank crown, together with a Men's Open Event silver, came in the 25th Binay Cup (Sept 2013). Nashspinner was inching his way towards the ultimate prize.

25th Binay Cup: Men's Non-rank Champion

25th Binay Cup: Men's Open Silver Medal

Now, only one Binay Cup award remained and Nashspinner has just one last personal bridge to cross.

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6. Men's Open Event

28th Binay Cup: Men's Open Champion

The ultimate test in Binay Cup included a field of former and present Philippine National Team members. Now Nashspinner had a real shot at the dream formed six years ago. 

Hard as a turtleshell, the Binay Cup Men's Open was, expectedly, one tough nut to crack. One had to get past former RP Players like Seronio and Dalumpines to get to the gold. Definitely, one big, tall order for a high school kid! 

The first two tries in 2013 produced only Silvers (24th & 25th Binay Cups). So near but not quite.

Then the Nashspinner camp decided to take the narrow path, drop all other events and compete only in the Men's Open Event. Focus and total concentration above all else.

And finally, it happened in the summer of 2014 (28th Binay Cup). The 16-year old, College of St. Benilde's top pick, won the Binay Cup Men's Open Championship!

Certainly A BINAY CUP RECORD and one of Nashspinners's personal mountains. He spent 7 years of his life conquering it. 

It was definitely NOT the last of Nashspinner's Binay Cups but because of this feat, he is now doubly confident to take his Table Tennis career to the next level.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Nashspinner was never alone in his campaigns.  

1. He has made lots of friends, young and old, at the Binay Cup and was always looking forward to be with them in every tournament. 

2. He had the blessings of his high school team, the NU Bulldogs under Coaches Judit Yulde & Ramil Sta. Ana. 

3. He was very well taken care of by his sponsor Mr. Philip Uy of TATAND/JOOLA. 

4. His skills were constantly honed at the TATAP Juniors Training Pool headed by its president, Mr. Ting Ledesma. 

5. He has a readily available PR facility behind him.

6. And most of all, Nashspinner enjoys full parental support when it comes to Table Tennis.

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THIS NASHSPINNER CHALLENGE 
GOES TO ALL 5-YEAR OLD BABY PONGERS.

GO, WIN YOUR FIRST BINAY CUP 10U TROPHY.

THIS IS WHERE IT STARTED FOR NASHSPINNER

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