Rising defender: Jann So Tiong’s mission for Philippine Hockey

When François Gautier first laced up his skates more than three decades ago, he never imagined that a Hollywood film would spark a lifelong passion that would eventually take root thousands of miles away—in the Philippines.

Like many of the country’s first-generation hockey players, Gautier discovered the sport through the classic Mighty Ducks movie.

“I tried several sports when I was a kid, and when I tried hockey, I just fell in love with it,” he recalled. “Never looked back.”

Today, the 41-year-old goaltender proudly wears the Philippine colors on the international stage, a role he describes as both honor and a privilege. 

“It’s something special,” he said. “When you wear the flag, you just want to do your best for your country.”

Born in Toulouse, France, Gautier returned to the Philippines in 2005 and quickly became part of the small but passionate hockey community. He says the national team's culture is built on unity amid diversity.

“We have a lot of different backgrounds,” he explained. “Some are half French, half Swiss, half Swedish. But when we step on the ice, we’re all family. We have each other’s backs.”

Despite varying ages and careers, some players are students, others are working professionals or parents, the bond among teammates remains strong. “When we are at the rink, it is like we leave everything else behind. It is just us and the game,” he added.

Outside of hockey, Gautier enjoys spending time with his family. 

“Nowadays, I just like to stay home with my kids,” he said. “Our schedule is pretty demanding, especially with two big tournaments coming up, so downtime is precious.”

With three international championships on the horizon, Gautier balances his on-ice duties with his responsibilities as a father. A testament to the dedication shared by many Filipino ice hockey players who juggle passion and personal life.

Ask Gautier what makes hockey special, and his eyes light up. “It is the greatest sport in the world,” he declared. “You’ve got speed, intensity, and heart. It’s like three or four sports combined.”

The Lycée Saint-Charles product also draws an amusing comparison to basketball, the Philippines’ national obsession.

“I know Filipinos love basketball,” he said, smiling. “But in hockey, we’ve got blades on our feet, and I’m stopping pucks going a hundred miles an hour, sometimes hitting my head.”

For Gautier, hockey players are “warriors.” Unlike other sports, he says, “We pretend not to hurt just to keep playing.”

His message to aspiring players? “Come by, give it a try. Whether you are young or older, we will teach you. Put on a pair of skates, we will show you how to fly out there.”

Now guarding the net for the Philippine Men’s National Ice Hockey Team, Gautier has come full circle in his athletic journey. 

“I used to be a defenseman for 30 years,” he said. “Now, I am a goalie and [I’m] loving it.”

Gautier has spent the last two decades helping grow the sport in his adopted home. His story is one of passion, perseverance, and pride. A reflection of how far Philippine ice hockey has come, and how much further it can go.

In a country where sun blazes year-round and basketball courts are found on nearly every corner, the idea of building a national ice hockey team might seem impossible. Yet, inside the cold confines of the rink, Finnish coach Juhani “Jay” Ijäs is helping the Philippine Men’s National Ice Hockey Team carve out a story that’s both unlikely and inspiring.

Having led the squad for the past three years, Coach Jay witnessed the sport’s evolution firsthand, from its early days to its growing presence on the international stage.

“The Philippines started to go international in 2017,” he said. “There were half Filipino players who helped build the program, some of them are still playing today, but now it is a good blend of older and younger players.”

Since making their international debut, the Filipino ice warriors have steadily gained recognition across Southeast Asia and is currently ranked 54th in the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Ranking. 

While the program remains relatively young, he sees its progress as a testament to the players’ passion and perseverance, proof that love for the sport can thrive even in the tropics. 

When Coach Jay arrived in the Philippines, he knew the challenges ahead: limited ice time, scarce training facilities, and a small player base. Yet, the Finnish tactician, who grew up surrounded by one of Europe’s most hockey-crazed cultures, approached it with patience and optimism.

“We are still a very small and young program,” he said. “Not only the national team, but we also need to recruit more younger players so that ice hockey will continue to grow in the Philippines.”

He believes that the real growth begins at the grassroots. Beyond building elite athletes, it is about introducing the sport to the next generation, one child at a time.

To ensure the ice hockey’s long-term future, Coach Jay, who is also the program director of the team, and the federation launched a “Learn to Play” program every Sunday morning open to children as young as three or four years old.

“It’s not really ice hockey yet,” he explained. “It’s just to get the feel of the ice. We need to start young because hockey is demanding, learning to skate, controlling the puck, and adapting to the physicality of the game.”

By partnering with schools and promoting the sport among families, the goal is to make skating, and eventually hockey, more accessible to Filipino youth.

Developing both talent and teamwork has been another challenge for the Finnish coach. With limited rink availability shared among men’s, women’s, and youth teams, training time is precious.

“We don’t have much extra ice time,” he admitted. “So we have to balance individual skill development with team play. Usually, about 30 minutes go to individual drills and the rest to our game systems and structure.”

Despite these constraints, the team continues to refine its systems, relying on discipline, conditioning, and camaraderie, in which Coach Jay emphasizes every session.

For him, physical conditioning is non-negotiable. Ice hockey demands more than technical skill; it requires resilience and athleticism to withstand 60 minutes of intense, high-speed play.

“We want to be a stronger skating team,” he said. “It is very demanding to play a full 60-minute game, so we cannot get fatigued. That’s the number one thing to be in good shape and be an athlete.”

With improved fitness and structure, he hopes the national team can stand toe-to-toe with more established programs in future tournaments, including the Southeast Asian Games.

Despite the challenges of promoting an ice sport in a tropical country, Coach Jay remains hopeful. He has seen how the energy of the players and the enthusiasm of young fans can create something special.

“Come here to the ice rink and watch our national teams play,” he urged. “It is really exciting, it is a unique sport. And if you don't like the game of ice hockey itself, maybe just ice skating, Philippines is fun, you can get away from the heat of outside and come here inside the cold."

From Finland to the Philippines, Coach Jay has brought with him more than just experience, he has brought belief. Under his guidance, the Philippine Men’s National Ice Hockey Team continues to prove that even in a land of sunshine, greatness can be forged on ice.

Filipina weightlifter Jhodie Peralta delivered a strong showing at the 3rd Asian Youth Games, capturing medals in both the snatch and clean and jerk events of the Girls’ 57-kg category.

Peralta came close to clinching gold in the snatch, lifting 85 kg and 87 kg before narrowly missing her final attempt. Her 87-kg lift was enough to secure the silver medal, just behind North Korea’s Hae Yon Pak, who topped the event with 88 kg—a new World and Asian Youth record.

“I was so close, but I will strive to improve next time,” Peralta told POC Media following her podium finish.

In the clean and jerk, Peralta managed a 100-kg lift to claim the bronze medal after unsuccessful tries at 105 kg and 107 kg. Pak once again dominated the event, setting new world and continental marks with a 107-kg lift, while Vietnam’s Lien Y earned silver with a total of 188 kg.

Peralta’s double-podium performance marked another proud moment for the Philippines in the continental youth stage, highlighting her potential as one of the country’s emerging weightlifting stars.

The Philippines’ boxing campaign at the 3rd Asian Youth Games in Manama, Bahrain, came to a close after Leo Mhar Lobrido settled for a bronze medal in the Boys’ 46-kg division.

Lobrido, the country’s last remaining boxer in contention, bowed to Uzbekistan’s Abdugani Yorkinjonov in the semifinals. The Uzbek fighter capitalized on his height and reach advantage, edging out Lobrido with a 3-2 decision in the opening round before pulling away in the second with sharp, accurate combinations.

Yorkinjonov’s dominance secured him a finals berth against Kazakhstan’s Arman Myrsabit, who earlier swept Tajikistan’s Damir Nazarov, 5-0.

Despite the loss, the 17-year-old from Bago City, Negros Occidental, earned the Philippines’ best boxing result of the Games with his bronze finish, showcasing resilience and promise against Asia’s rising talents.

Meanwhile, other Filipino boxers were unable to reach the medal rounds. James Justin Zampatti fell to Uzbekistan’s Diyorbek Murodilloev via referee-stopped contest in the Boys’ 75-kg quarterfinals, while Shairylle Porres exited after losing to Chinese Taipei’s Fang-yu Chen in the Girls’ 46-kg category.

Jefferson Amaya (50kg), John Michael Estorba (54kg), and Ermallie Caballero (50kg) were earlier eliminated during the preliminaries.

The Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) is going all out in its preparations for the 3rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships, set for November 20–24 at the Manila Marriott Grand Ballroom.

The prestigious global event will gather a record-breaking number of nations and athletes, further highlighting the Philippines’ growing prominence in the gymnastics world—especially after Carlos Yulo’s historic double gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

According to GAP, delegates will begin arriving by November 14, with some already expressing interest in staying longer to explore the country. Adding star power to the festivities, actor and GAP board member Derek Ramsay will host the opening ceremony.

“We are going all out in our effort to host this huge international sporting competition featuring the world’s top junior gymnasts,” said GAP President Cynthia Carrion. “It will be a showcase of skills and talent amid a lively, festive, and warm atmosphere that only Filipinos are known for.”

Carrion added that the Philippines’ track record in staging world-class sporting events convinced the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG), led by President Morinari Watanabe, to entrust the hosting to Manila—following the federation’s Congress in Doha in 2024.

With passion, hospitality, and world-class preparation, the Philippines is ready to make history once again on the global gymnastics stage.