Once living in a library and jeepney, Coach Ar Sy brings MSC crown home

GMA Network

7 hours ago

Long before leading Team Liquid Philippines to the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Mid-Season Cup throne, coach Rodel "Ar Sy" Cruz knew the struggles of having no home to call his own.
As a teenager, he sought refuge in the library of Lagro High School in Quezon City after his family's home was demolished.
He later received P5,000 from the local government, which he used to start a small business selling various goods to make ends meet.
Ar Sy eventually completed high school using the earnings from his venture, before earning a scholarship at the University of the Philippines, where he pursued a degree in Industrial Engineering.
But even as a UP scholar, he still had no home and was forced to live inside an abandoned jeepney near the campus.
"Nu'ng nasa UP ako, sa jeep na ako nakatira. 'Yung bago pumasok ng UP, 'yung tapat ng [fast food chain], doon ako nakatira. May jeep doon. Gasera, katol, tapos manila paper 'yung tinatapal ko sa jeep para lang may kurtina ako," Ar Sy shared with GMA News Online.
"Nakatambak lang 'yung jeep doon tapos naliligo ako sa CR ng [gas station]. 50 percent lang 'yung scholarship, pero may tumutulong sa akin na dati ko rin na teacher."
Ar Sy, however, was only able to complete two years of college before working as a call center agent—where he discovered and honed his love for ML:BB.
Though a club once recruited him, Ar Sy left the scene when esports failed to provide a steady income.
He turned to selling street food where he met a Filipino-American chef who opened the door for him to rise as a head chef in a hotel restaurant.
However, his stint there didn't last long, as Ar Sy soon moved to a smaller restaurant in Cavite. It was during this time that Joshua Alfaro, a well-known Mobile Legends coach, reached out and encouraged him to apply as a coach for Falcon Esports in Myanmar.
From there, his esports journey took off—leading Falcon Esports to several titles and a spot at the M6 World Championship in Malaysia, before coming full circle with his return to the Philippines to coach Team Liquid.
"Si mama po kasi nag-abroad and broken family po kami. Mas gusto ko po kasing mabuhay mag-isa," Ar Sy, who's now a one-time MPL champion and MSC titleholder, recalled.
"Nagkaron din ako ng sama ng loob pero ginawa ko lang siya na motivation para sa sarili na kahit wala 'yung parents ko, magagawa ko pa rin 'yung mga bagay."
From his humble beginnings, Ar Sy's path has been anything but ordinary. But even in victory, he carries his past with him, honoring the people who helped him when he had little to hold on to.
In fact, one of the first things he did after flying back to Manila from their MSC run was to visit his former teacher, Marlyn Tacud—whom he also considers his second mother.
"Siguro sobrang sarap [sa pakiramdam na panalo kami] pero ando'n ako sa point na ayokong makalimot sa dating ako. Gusto ko pa rin balik-balikan kung saan ako nanggaling," Ar Sy said.
"Nando'n pa rin 'yung dating Ar Sy. Tinutulungan ko 'yung mga taong tumulong sa akin dati."
—JKC, GMA Integrated News