Athlete of the Year for six consecutive years!

Me and Rey are just smiling at each other as we watched other students go up on stage and almost took home all the medals: best in math, best in science, leadership award, award by alumni, awards by this and that... coz we know this boy by heart.

He is always almost out of school for one or two months when school is just starting coz he always competes abroad at that time.  He can excel in Academic, he is always on the top of his class when he is not yet into chess but still graduated  4th honor  in elementary when he started juggling between school and tournaments.  We had talked and convinced ourselves  that he might really have a hard time competing academically since he always attends to training every Saturday, tournaments almost every Sunday and training even after school  to be able to hold on to  his current status in the chess community.  Even with heavy schedules he still managed to maintain good grades and always belong to the star section.

And the bright side of it, as we explained it to Daryl, it actually open  the opportunity to other students who might have a possible scholarship since he is almost assured of his own scholarship when he got into college with God`s continuous grace.   -- (by: Dina Delos Reyes-Samantila)

1 Timothy 4:14
Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.

FROM A ROOKIE TO MVP!, FROM A KIDDIE TO JUNIOR.

After my last post last May 2012 where I was given a notable award in my hometown, my life as a chess player and a student continues.  In 2012, I joined two international events.  The 13^th Asean Age Group Chess Championship held at Hue, Vietnam where I won Individual Gold Medal and Bronze in Blitz and Standard events respectively. And Team Bronze medals in Standard, Rapid and Blitz events.  I also joined the Philippine Junior Chess Team in the 2012 Asian Youth Chess Championship, held at Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka and did a very performance which increased my ratings.

2013, is a very good year as Chess brought me to more countries like Changmai, Thailand where we compete for the 14^th Asean Age Group Chess Championship and I won Individual Gold Medal in the Blitz event.  The 2013 Asian Youth Chess Championship held at Sari, Mazandran, Iran, I am also a Bronze Medalist. The 2^nd ASEAN vs. CHINA Junior Chess Classics 2013 held at Kumning City, Yunann, China.  My second time to join this event and with some problems encountered along the way, three of us who represented our country come home with each honours.  Silver medal for me, for my over-all performance among the boys.  And Overall team championship for the ASEAN team, with our Team Philippines contributing more points for the ASEAN Team.  The last one which actually coincide with one grand championship event that I am supposed to attend but rather choose to play in the Serangoon Inter-Team Chess Championship in Serangoon, Singapore.  It was an honor to be invited by Philippine Chess Grandmasters Nelson 'Jet' Mariano II and Buenaventura 'Bong' Villamayor to be a part of their team.  Though it is only some few days staying with the Chesskidz Singapore it was such an experience to remember.  Specially with the hospitality and generosity of GM Jet and GM Bong who been instrumental to my growth as a chess player.

And it is now 2014... I am already a Junior!!!  The Rookie is now an MVP!

My most recent achievement: Most Valuable Player – UAAP Season 76 Chess Junior.  The Universities Athletic Association of the Philippines, established in 1938, is a sports association of eight universities in the Philippines. Each year, teams from these universities play in 15 sports.

And because the kiddie is now a junior.  Soon I`ll call this as juniorchessplayer blog? :)