Joco Vasquez aims high
FATHER-SON TEAM
WHEN a father trains his son, and his son shines, it’s a dream come true for both.
This is how it has been with Dr. Enrico Vasquez and his 14-year-old son John Enrico Vasquez.
Recently, the young Vasquez (or Joco to his family and friends), incoming grade 8 at the Mother Goose Special School System in Dagupan City, won two gold medals in the Minus 52 kg., 14 to 15 years old Kumite and Advance Kata at the Philippine Karatedo Federation NSA Inc. 2015 national championships last May 3 to 5.
Joco’s series of success can only be credited mainly to his dad, the chief instructor of the Filipinas Wado Ryu Karate and chairman of the board of trustees of the Philippine Karatedo Federation NSA Inc. It was his dad who saw his potentials in karate when he was barely three years old.
Karate international champ Joco Vasquez, with his trainer-dad, Dr. Enrico Vasquez.
So two years later, his son won his first gold medal in the 12th Luzon Open Karate Championships on Sept. 17, 2006. He also won his first major medal at age five in the Philippine Olympic Festival in March 2007 and completed his gold harvest during the Philippine Olympic Festival Championship in September 2007.
To date, Joco has collected more than 50 golds and dozens of silver and bronze medals in different invitational karate championships sanctioned by the Philippine Karate Federation National Sports Association Inc. He is a consistent regional (Luzon leg) and national champion of the Philippine Sports Commission Batang Pinoy.
His dad said he is proud that his efforts in training young kids paid off by producing champions under his ward like Jayson Macaalay and his son Joco. They are joining the Philippine team that will see action in the upcoming Thailand Open Karate Championships on July 25 to August 1.
Joco’s international championship quest in July will not be his first. He already won his first gold medal in international scene at the International Philippine Goodwill Karate Championships last Oct. 25 to 26, 2008 in Mandaluyong City Gym. He also won a silver at the 9th SHINWA KAI Open Invitational Championships in 2012 in Singapore.
Joco holds an international black belt rank awarded by Grandmaster Hironori Ohtsuka of the International Wado Ryu Karate by passing the black belt examination given by Master Kazutaka Ohtsuka.
He has experienced losses too but sees the defeats as an opportunity to improve himself.
But Joco’s bigger personal dream is to become a lawyer someday and win his battles in court. (Tita Roces)
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