Happy Birthday, Joel Gaspar ( May 26 )

Happy Birthday, Joel Gaspar

Source : Assorted Magazines (PBA Archives Collections)

Former Letran Squires
Former FEU Tamaraws
PABL A & W Rootbeers
Former MBA Nueva Ecija Patriots

JOEL GASPAR
Playing under a coach like Joe Lipa had been some sort of a dream for Joel Gaspar. Fact is, after spending two seasons with the junior team of Letran in the NCAA under Fred Reyes, Joel tried out for the University of the Philippines Maroons. The Maroons had a complete line-up and found no room for Gaspar. And so, the 6-0 guard went to Far Eastern University. At the onset, he was placed on the reserved list. But just before the opening of the 1987 UAAP season, a protest was filed against FEU's Gerald Esplana who lacked residence. Esplana was disallowed to suit up for the Tamaraws and because Gaspar played the same position, he was elevated into the regular lineup. Gaspar has so far spent four years with the Tams under different coaches Fidel Que, Pablo Javier and Turo Valenzona. He is all set to complete his five-year stint with the Tams in this year's UAAP wars. Early this year, A & W Rootbears (formerly Philips Sardines) went on a revamp with coach Lipa retaining only four holdovers from last year's squad and calling for tryouts at the Reyes Gym in Mandaluyong. Gaspar attended the tryouts and impressed Lipa. He was signed up and a dream was fulfilled. Joel was born on May 25, 1970 and is the second of four kids of police corporal Cresencio Gaspar and fruit merchant Estrellita Villarta. His elder sister Jocelyn is the only non-athlete in the family. Brother Jay is a volleybal player at Letran. Youngest brother Jasper is a track and field athlete. "Parehas lang sina coach Turo at Joe. Disciplinarians sila pero pasensiyoso. Ituturo sa iyo ang lahat ng gusto mo'ng matutunan," said Joel, a fourth year electrical engineering student. During his grade school days, Joel dabbled in soccer and this is one of the reasons why he has the speed and agility which he now puts to full use as a cager. A fan of Samboy Lim, Joel sometimes does acrobatic shots, too. But these are rarities considering that he is playing under a no-nonsense coach like Lipa. "Kay coach Joe, lagi niyang in-emphasize na basahin namin ang sitwasyon. Ako naman, I'd like to improve on a lot of things, foremost of which is my shooting. Nandoon na ang quickness kasi," he said. Given due time, Joel will be a force to reckon with. And when he finally becomes eligible to play in the PBA, he will find a lot of takers considering his size as a guard.