FOOTBALL PLAYING VERGARA FAMILY OF SAN CARLOS CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL JOHN JASON VERGARA (left) WITH HIS SONS MASON, SHANDEN AND WIFE MARIFE.
WHEN Rookie of the Year awardee Shanden Vergara and De La Salle University lost to rival Ateneo de Manila University in a thrilling 2-1 championship match Thursday night, the disappointment was not only felt by the De La Salle community but more so by his father, John Jason Vergara.
FORMER OFW JOHN JASON VERGARA WITH HIS WIFE MARIFE HAS TURNED HIS TWO SONS INTO EXCELLENT FOOTBALLERS.
San Carlos City Negros Occidental based John Jason has been the coach and mentor of Shanden and his older brother Mason Trent since they were children. He guided them in their early years as footballers.
It was also painful for John Jason watching his son Shanden’s team De La Salle, losing the UAAP championship over Ateneo.
“I was happy for his performance but I was really disappointed for their loss,’’ said the elder Vergara, an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) License C coach.
De La Salle scored the first goal from a strike of Mohammad Almohjili in the 78th minute. Jarvey Gayoso then equalised for Ateneo in injury time to extend the match. Julian Roxas then won the match for the Blue Eagles with a header in the 100th minute to seal the championship.
The loss was a bitter pill to swallow for Shanden as he propelled the Green Archers to the UAAP 81 Men’s Football final for the first time since season Season 77 after scoring the winning goal in the semis against defending champion University of the Philippines.
SHANDEN (right) WITH HIS OLDER BROTHER MASON DURING THEIR YOUNGER DAYS AS FOOTBALLERS. MASON ALSO PLAYS FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST IN THE UAAP.
“We will not waste this chance of winning the championship. We will have to win. It has been a long time since La Salle has not won a UAAP title in Men’s Football,’’ Shanden was quoted after their victory over UP.
There is however so much disappointment after the loss to Ateneo but Shanden’s father is positive that his son has learned many lessons from the defeat.
“Right now he is still upset but he will take things slowly,’’ he John Jason said. They are looking forward to the coming Southeast Asian Games and hoping that Shanden and his brother Mason will be named to the team.
Mason who just finished his Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRM) course from the University of the East also played for the UE Warriors varsity team in the recently concluded UAAP football season.
Mason plays left back and left winger for UE while Shanden is an attacking midfielder and also plays central defence.
John Jason and his sons love affair with football started when he came back as an OFW from UAE many years ago when Shanden (now 19) was only seven years old. “We started organising inter-color tournaments with some parents in our village in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental. Then we established the Futbal de Los Amigos FC. I was the first coach of the club,” said John Jason.
As Shaden and his brother grew, many coaches handled them and they improved and were recognised after playing in the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) organised Festival Of Football. It was in the FOF that Mason was discovered and became a member of the original Little Azkals which included UAAP stars JB Borlongan, Diamante, Casambre and now UK based footballer Troy Limbo.
Shanden was also recruited by several clubs in Manila and played for De La Salle Zobel for two years during his Senior High School where they were defeated twice by the FEU for the UAAP junior crowns.
Before that, he played for Colegio de Sto. Thomas-Recoletos in San Carlos City during his Junior High School years.
He was also a member of the U18 national team of coach Jose Mari Aberasturi in 2017 and the U19 national team of coach Reiji Hirata in 2018.
I have known John Jason Vergara since he started the Los Futbal de Los Amigos FC more than a decade a go when Facebook did not exist yet. He is a dedicated coach and mentor to his football playing boys Shanden and Mason and a loving husband to his wife Marife T. Vergara of Molave, Zamboanga de Sur.
Pinoysoccer.com the precursor of Pinoyfootball.com used to sponsor the uniforms of his club. He is now an AFC C Licensed coach and have coached other clubs aside from Los Amigos where he spent 12 years of his life. He coached Tuloy sa Don Bosco Alabang, various Stalions FC youth teams in the United Football League and the Youth Football League.
At 44 years old, John Jason has many more coaching years to come. The successes of Shanden and Masan right now are the fruits of his hard work. With more hard work, more success are expected to come for the football loving family. (l.biantan@gmail.com)
