Zamboanga clan makes Palaro a family affair

 

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — The family that plays together, stays together.

This seems to be the mantra of the Digamon family, who has the father, the mother and their two daughters taking part in this year’s Palarong Pambansa here.

Representing Zamboanga Peninsula, the household headed by Emmanuel Digamon is going for medals in the table tennis competitions, with Emmanuel as the coach and his two daughters, Em and Novy, as the Region IX table netters.

Mother Marjory, too, is in town, serving as assistant coach while taking care of the Digamon’s unica hijo in 5-year-old Ralph.

“I’m very happy and honored because we are here to compete,” Emmanuel told Rappler. “At the same time, the whole family gets to have some vacation, too.”

Even as he started as a volleyball official, Emmanuel has always been a table tennis fan. That’s why, he recalls, a few years ago, he had a table made for their house so that he can practice the sport he is passionate about.

Fortunately for him, his family fell in love with table tennis as well.

Sensing that his daughters had potential to make it big in the sport, Emmanuel honed his kids early.

“I’ve been coaching table tennis for 5 years,” quipped the 38-year-old dad. “I was my daughters’ first coach, especially Em, whom I trained when she was in Grade 2.”

Learning quickly, Em won 3 gold medals in the YSSA Cup in Zamboanga before placing 3rd in the Batang Pinoy Mindanao leg and ranking 5th in the Table Tennis Association of the Philippines – Mindanao selection.

In her Palaro appearance in Lingayen last year, Em snagged the bronze medal. This time, she is striving to finally land at the top of the podium.

Em’s younger sister, though a Palaro novice, has the same goal.

“I’m excited and anxious at the same time,” said Novy, who, like her ate, topped the Region IX meet. “But I am really happy because my whole family is here to support me.”

The “bunso” in the family, Ralph, is also being groomed by his father and at such a young age, he is already being encouraged to join competitions.

“Ralph was 3 years old when he first played table tennis,” Emmanuel shared. “Next year, I will have him join 8-under contests and hopefully, he makes it all the way to the Palaro.”  

Family bonding

Since everyone in the family know how to play the game, the Digamons not only consider table tennis as a sport, but also a way of leisure and family bonding.

“There’s no need to look for other things to do outside because even while we are training, we are having fun already,” added the father. “That’s why we are very close as a family.”

And of course, even if he is busy with his work as a teacher and a table tennis coach, Emmanuel doesn’t forget his responsibilities as a father.

Before he teaches Em, Novy and Ralph the rudiments of the sport, he and Marjory focus on instilling the right values in their children first.

“It is very important to teach them the right character, especially focus, discipline and sportsmanship,” Emmanuel said. 

As a mother, Marjory makes sure their children learn all of those at home first and apply it wherever and whoever they play against. 

“You can easily learn skills,” shared Marjory, a public school teacher herself, too. “But you have to mold them first to be good and well-mannered kids.”

True enough, they have raised children who do not just excel in sports, but also in school. 

As a matter of fact, Em just graduated from elementary as a valedictorian.

“Everything should be balanced,” Em said. “Mama and Papa taught us what to do. They support us not just in sports, but in school, as well.” – Rappler.com