Paeng De Guzman: UAAP 77’s Best Goalkeeper

To be a goalkeeper, one must possess both physical and mental toughness to be able to protect the goal and block any attempts that the opponents throw at the team. It is no wonder that only a few individuals aspire to occupy this position in a football match. Fortunately, La Salle has an individual who is a perfect fit for the job in Paeng De Guzman, who is currently the starting goalkeeper for the DLSU men’s football team.

To be a goalkeeper, one must possess both physical and mental toughness to protect the goal and block any attempts that the opponents throw at the team. It is no wonder that only a few individuals aspire to occupy this position in a football match. Fortunately, La Salle has an individual who is a perfect fit for the job in Paeng De Guzman, who is currently the starting goalkeeper for the DLSU men’s football team.

Composure over pressure

Playing on his rookie year in the DLSU football team, Paeng De Guzman looks to deliver what is expected of him and more. For most of his life, De Guzman has been an active supporter and player in the game of football. As early as six years old, he began playing football in his home province in Cebu. It was only in the third grade that he started playing as a goalkeeper and he explains that no one really starts as a goalie. “Basically, wala namang nagsta-start as a goalkeeper, naging goalkeeper lang ako kasi kailangan talaga ng team,” shares De Guzman. According to him, he was able to gain more experience in becoming a goalkeeper because of his brothers, who are also football players themselves. “Yung mga brothers ko, football players din. Tapos sinasali din ako sa mga team nila kaya mataas yung experience ko somehow,” says De Guzman.

Back in his high school days, he played for the Don Bosco Technological Center football team in Cebu and he grew really close with his team. He shares that his experience in his former team has taught him the value of communication within a team and how it can be difficult to develop. “Yung skills naman, nandiyan lang yan eh, lalabas naman yung skills, pero yung communication talaga ang mahirap sa football,” comments De Guzman. He also shares how he never really thought about himself but he really cared more for the welfare of the team. It was also in high school where he was able to develop his toughness as a player because of how his coach used to train him. “Yung goalkeeping coach ko nung high school, malakas talaga siya mag-pressure sa akin. May instance nga na during training umiyak talaga ako dahil pinre-pressure niya ako,” shares De Guzman. Later on, he realized how much this kind of treatment helped him cope with the pressures of the game and developed him as a player. “Pagkatapos nun, iniisip ko lang kung bakit niya ako pinre-pressure kahit training lang. Then during the game, dun ko na narealize na kailangan ko talaga ma-handle yung pressure,” shares De Guzman.

Diving into the collegiate scene

De Guzman was recruited by DLSU back in 2013 but was required to serve a one-year residency due to the UAAP rules. Nevertheless, he participated in team practices and was quickly introduced to La Salle’s unique coaching style. “Naririnig ko na noon na si coach Hans [Smit], tough na coach talaga siya. Pero para sa akin, mas gusto ko talaga yun kasi every game, yung mental toughness yung pinag-babasihan kung gusto mo talaga manalo. Kasi pag mahina ang mental toughness mo, kahit gaano ka kagaling, pero hindi mo kaya yung pressure, mawawala ka talaga,” says De Guzman

With his first year of eligibility this season, he aided the Green Booters with the departure of goalkeeper Patrick Deyto, who recently graduated and is now a member of the Philippine Azkals. De Guzman expressed how big of an honor it is to assume Deyto’s position for DLSU.

“Yung pag Azkals niya, para sa akin, it serves as an inspiration kasi galing din siya dito. Tapos yung pressure din sa akin medyo mataas kasi narinig ko na dati na magaling siya. Para sa akin, kahit hindi ako aabot sa skills niya, basta I’ll just play my best for the team,” adds De Guzman.

Outside the pitch, Paeng mentioned that he and his teammates are slowly but surely becoming like brothers. In their off time, they would get together inside an internet cafe and play Counter Strike for several hours, sometimes to an extent that they would completely lose track of time. According to De Guzman, this helps them strengthen their team chemistry and also exercise their competitiveness in a fun way.

Life goals

Paeng De Guzman is the youngest of four brothers and just turned twenty years old. If he chooses to move away from football after his career in the UAAP, he plans to work in the corporate world, similar to two of his older brothers. He also likes to read books in his spare time and appreciates the art of writing regardless of the genre.

Although uncertain about his future, De Guzman is pretty straightforward when it comes to the kind of life he wants to live in the future. When asked where he sees himself in 10 years time, De Guzman confidently said, “Family man. Yun lang talaga yung gusto ko, maging successful sa kung anong career man ang papasukin ko.”

***

The DLSU Men’s Football team recently concluded the 77th season of the UAAP and grabbed the second spot, improving from a fourth-place finish a season before. On their way to the finals, Paeng, along with his teammates had an amazing run, not giving up a single loss on a 15-game stretch, which catapulted them to the top of the standings. However, they fell to the FEU Tamaraws in the finals on a hard-fought battle that ended with a score of 3-2, last March 8 at the Rizal Memorial Football Field. Regardless, De Guzman was rewarded for his individual skills and was named the best goalkeeper of UAAP season 77.