Alfredo Bustamante: La Salle’s own super sub

To kick off 2014, The LaSallian brings to you five athletes that you may have heard about over the duration of the year gone by for their accomplishments in their respective sports. Despite their impressive body of work though, these five Lasallians have barely scratched the surface, and they are poised to have a breakout campaign during the year 2014. If you haven’t heard of these athletes, it’s time to take note because they just might become the next big Lasallian superstar.

The final whistle was about to blow and the game between fierce rivals Ateneo and La Salle was about to end in a 1-1 draw. Instead, an undersized yet energetic substitute emerged, soaring to receive a perfect pass as he knocked in a crucial header into the goal to grab the win for the DLSU Green Booters.

Alfredo Gustavo S. Bustamante IV (IV, BS-IBS) came in as a second-half substitute to score the deciding goal in their first round UAAP Season 76 match-up against the defending champions ADMU Blue Eagles, solidifying the notion that substitutes are as vital to a team’s success as the starters on the field.

“It is instilled in us subs, that we are game changers and players that relieve our teammates [in the game],” shares Bustamante. “As players we live up to it and it means something to us too.”

Bustamante, known to his teammates as Al, is a total team player. The striker who played high school football in the Dumagete-based Silliman University was given the nickname “Shogun Roa” after the popular mixed-martial arts fighter who is also known for his ferocity in the cage.

Bustamante emphasized that the clutch goal that he scored was a total team effort. If it wasn’t for the team’s constant practices, the superb free kick and the spacing of his teammates confusing the defense, he would not have delivered the winning goal.

“After scoring I had a very peculiar feeling because of the things going on in my head before that. At the same time, I felt fulfilled, mixed emotions too maybe, more on the happy side. A feeling I’d like to call indescribable.” shared the ecstatic Bustamante.

Al, who hails from Dumaguete City, credits his father as his mentor since he instilled the interest of the sport to him and his brother at a very young age of three years old. “He gave my brother and me a ball to share and kick around at that time hoping that we’d develop an interest for it,” recalls Bustamante. “That goal was for my dad, it was his birthday on the day of the game.”

Bustamante knew that he contributed something great for the team especially because he was a striker, so naturally a goal was most fitting. Despite the goal, he remains grounded and humble. “The greatness of all this was in the works of God, I have no doubt about that. He gave it to me,” he insists.

Individual accolades are not part of Bustamante’s favorite achievements. He is instead fond of being a part of the team’s overall success. He cites the 2011 UniGames championship, his first and only UniGames crown, as his all-time favorite achievement. “Achieving the championship in a tourney is just lovely.” Bustamante adds.

A sweet victory against Ateneo in his rookie season is also amongst his fondest memories as they crushed them, 5-1. It was also then when the Green Booter scored his first UAAP goal and coincidentally, it was also a header coming off a cross.

“We football players not [only] just love the sport but [we also] have a passion for it. We learn to love it. And it defines who we are,” Bustamante explains.