Mitch Liwanag to Sanford: ‘This Time, Pamilya Mo Naman Unahin Mo’
By Jan Marcus Montevirgen and Mario Alvaro Limos
“PLEASE CANCEL ALL THE SCRIMS RIGHT NOW because Sanford needs to go home.”
Mitch Liwanag, head of esports at Team Liquid, urgently asked Coach Aeon and Coach SN4P to clear the day’s schedule, then drove Sanford straight to Pampanga for an emergency.
Sanford’s family had called him about his ailing grandmother. But he felt guilty if he would leave the boot camp on the eve of their match against the other titans in the league—Team Falcons.
The first thing that came to his mind was his team. Should he stay and finish the crucial scrims? Or should he go to his grandmother?
But that decision was taken out of his hands when Mitch Liwanag didn’t hesitate to tell their coaches to cancel all the scrims they had for the day.
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“First, I was really worried na ma-apektuhan yung overall play namin,” Sanford told ALL-STAR.
But when he informed Mitch, there was absolutely no argument over what he should do.
“Hindi nag-hesitate si Mamitch,” said Sanford.
Mitch Liwanag firmly told Sanford, “For the longest time, you’ve been stepping up and you’ve never let the team down, even during our toughest seasons. You’ve never neglected your job.”
And then she added, “This time, pamilya mo naman iyong unahin mo.”
Sanford was in tears when he was leaving the boot camp on his way to the hospital in Pampanga.
“Sobrang thankful ako sa mga coaches ko lalo na kay Mamitch,” said Sanford, referring to Mitch Liwanag.
“Gumawa siya ng ganoong hakbang at hindi ko man lang talaga sila nakitang nag-hesitate. Nagtiwala sila sa team.”
“Naging promise ko na lang talaga sa kanila is magpa-pop off ako tomorrow and sobrang gagalingan ko. Siguro sa awa ng Diyos kaya ganon iyong pinakita ko kanina,” he continued.
Sanford was the MVP of game 3 in their first meetup with Team Falcons this season. The match was touted as the clash of titans, owing to the fact that both rosters have world titles, multiple international titles, and are both MPL champions. Most players on each team have also been named Finals MVP in various championships abroad and in MPL. Team Liquid also faced the Falcons during the SIBOL Qualifiers for the Asian Games, ultimately clinching the top spot, electrified by rookie gold laner Teddy.
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