Josh’s move.
by rick olivares
Changes.
With that Instagram post, Joshua Lazaro, signified his intention to move from San Beda in Antipolo to Ateneo de Manila High School.
For much of the past school year, Lazaro has been recruited and pitched to by different schools, to move for his senior high school.
He resisted any pondering of a move until the season was over. He wanted to give the Red Cubs’ NCAA campaign his undivided attention. And even when the season was done, he insisted on finishing his studies and graduating from junior high before anything else.
His family readily gave him the space so as not to influence or pressure his decision. Then came the Instagram post that showed Lazaro inside the Ateneo campus with only one word: “changes.”
The move from the familiar to the unfamiliar is always frightening.
After 10 years in San Beda (he moved then for fourth grade), he is going to the only other school that he considered moving to if he decided to leave Antipolo. It was a difficult decision. Joshua thought of his teachers, classmates, coaches, and teammates who have meant so much to him. There was much thinking as well as tears. But at the end, he went with what he believes is the best move for him at this stage of his young life.
What does a 16-year old know? Life is still pretty much a mystery that will unspool its answers when you least expect it. The decision was his entirely and yet, his family made him listen to everyone who invited Joshua to move to their school (there were several UAAP and NCAA schools that pitched to him).
Yet, Lazaro, through the guidance of his family, has made it acutely aware that it will be filled with challenges.
There have only been two previous major adjustments that Joshua has made – the first was enrolling in San Beda for Grade 4, and when he joined the basketball team.
And the reason for playing basketball wasn’t even a sports thing – it was to socialize and to find a way to communicate with others. Lazaro is the quiet, shy, and introspective sort. With his being involved in a team game, he found himself and the confidence to be a part of a whole.
Through the game, he found a resolve. He hardly has any plays called for himself. He usually cleans up the glass, puts back the ball, or finds an open teammate for a pass and a bucket. His unselfish play has been vital and not gone unnoticed. In fact, he’s been a part of the last three Batang Gilas squads.
There are other challenges in the move to Ateneo.
The academic standards are very rigorous and demanding. That is a given and while Joshua has been a good student in San Beda, you couple that with the pressure cooker that is the UAAP and joining a Blue Eagles team that is pretty much gutted from its title team of two seasons ago. The premature departure of center Kai Sotto, who still has a few years left, to pursue his American and European adventure that he hopes will one day land him a spot on an NBA roster, is more telling because now, Lazaro is the tallest player on the squad. Now, six-foot-four Joshua isn’t a center as he is a four-spot player.
It stands to reason he will play out of position if there is no one to plug that doughnut hole in the middle that has been vacated by Sotto and Geo Chiu.
Speaking of the two, last season, there were three Batang Gilas players on the Ateneo roster – point guard Forthsky Padrigao as well as Sotto and Chiu. Only Padrigao is left. Bantam-sized point guard Ian Espinosa is still around. Other than those two there are no other players with significant contributions to the Blue Eagles’ finals stint.
There are no illusions that Ateneo will compete for the UAAP Juniors crown let alone make the Final Four (one can hope though). You can be sure the adversity quotient will rise significantly.
And yet the Lazaros understand that. If moving to San Beda was to help him socialize and as a bonus, learn and find himself in the game of basketball; moving to Ateneo is to prepare for college and beyond. They have told Joshua that he will learn more fending for himself in Ateneo. And we aren’t just talking about hoops.
For the first time in his life, he will stay in the Ateneo dorm of Cervini. Previously, he always went home after basketball practice and school. This time because of practicality, he will have to stay and that in itself is an adjustment.
So, the adjustment isn’t only for Josh but the entire family. “We’re all in this together,” they collectively enthuse. It is heartwarming to see a family throw their full support in their son’s pursuit of a dream.
And that is for the best because change is always challenging.
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