by Jason Salas, KUAM News Thursday, July 07, 2005 Subscribe to Jason's newsfeed   E-mail this article Printable version KUAM Toolbar Web Widgets Get RSS headlines

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The island's volleyball community continues to mourn the passing of Ernie Abanes. The man whose coaching career spanned nearly two full decades died Tuesday at the Guam Memorial Hospital following complications from a stroke he suffered last weekend.

I'm literally overwhelmed trying to succinctly describe the man's impact on how volleyball was played and promoted locally through the late-1980s and deep into the 1990s. So while it's impossible to accurately qualify the full body of work of a man who tirelessly evangelized the game locally, here's a humble attempt to shed light on the career - and life - of a legendary coach.

"Ern", the name by which he insisted all address him, coached numerous high school squads, including stints at GCC, GW, and Notre Dame. He won multiple championships at the Academy of Our Lady of Guam and at Father Duenas Memorial School, and was an integral participant within the Guam Volleyball Federation. He also coached the Guam men's and women's national teams to gold medals in the Micronesia Games, in 1994 and 1998, respectively.

Joel Quitugua, a former co-captain of the Pacific Islanders Volleyball Association, the prestigious men's/women's club Abanes founded, spoke about what the man meant to him. "I think Ern will be most remembered for his tenacity in coaching," he recalled. "He brought a lot of titles to Academy, he brought a co-championship to FD two years in a row, and he coached PIVA for many years; I think he'll be remembered as a winner, as a great organizer, and as a strong promoter of volleyball."

Quitugua, an all-island outside hitter in high school that Abanes moved over to run PIVA's complex offense as a setter (at the time an innovative strategy better leveraging Quitugua's left-handedness), also added of his coach's zest for the game, "He loved the sport and loved representing his island and promoting volleyball in any sense, in any way that he could."

The hallmark of Abanes' unique style was his fierce competitive spirit and constant local pride. Andre Artero, one of several PIVA assistant coaches Abanes mentored, said of his friend's fiery drive, "He wanted the best out of everybody - he was very tenacious, he was very in-your-face, but when the whistle blew and it was all over, everything was alright." Another protege of the Abanes coaching system, Bobbie Quinata, said, "I learned so much more about the game from Ern...I'm a better coach just from observing him, just watching him manage a game. I'm really going to miss him."

But perhaps the most important trait Abanes stressed from those who played in his system was a characteristic displayed off the court and away from the gym: citizenship. He wanted his players to put in the effort and gym time to ultimately be known as dominant, intimidating champions, but more importantly to take pride in themselves, being seen as good role models and sound members of the community.

"We were very professional," Artero continued, "Practices were set, we were always organized, and everything was always arranged perfectly. Drills and scrimmages would last for several hours, and everything was scripted out in Ern's head. We always looked good with classy uniforms and presented ourselves well, and he wanted us to carry ourselves that way - to know that when you're out there competing, you represent not only yourself, but your team, your community, and your island."

Artero continued, "When we went off-island for tournaments, we weren't a bunch of guys on a vacation goofing around - we were there to do a job: to win and to represent Guam. So we went to children's hospitals to visit sick kids, and always as a group; we always did things like that. We took the time to help other people and not only promote volleyball, but promote Guam."

Matt Limtiaco played at FD from 1989-1992 and during summer tournaments in college, and as such came to know Abanes very well. He developed an appreciation of understanding one's greater role as an athlete, stating, "I only realized after a PIVA team trip Ern arranged to the Shriner's Hospital in Hawaii that volleyball was just a game - that there are more important things in the world, and that being part of a team really means doing things to help others."

Another former friar, Dave Zimms, remembers Abanes as a coach that drove him to be the best he could, challenging him to really want to win and take his game to the next level. This tutelage paid off - to this day, Zimms is widely considered Guam's most dominant high school player ever.

Said Peter Tedtaotao, a player/coach with the rival Inarajan Hawks club of his long-time friend, "As someone who coached against him, I personally knew that when Ern prepared a team, I knew I was up for a challenge, and his teams were always well-prepared, and ready for competition. His knowledge for the sport was very effective, and he knew what needed to be done in order for his players to be ready both on the court and off the court."

As for his legacy, many that played for Abanes now coach their own teams or have at one point coached, passing down the lessons of discipline, humility, perseverance, a strong work ethic, and commitment to winning to new generations. Artero cited the fact that the development of a "Sports Legends of Guam" compendium has been in discussion for years, saying, "Ern's name should be added to that list, for sure."

So while Ern isn't with us anymore, he'll always be around. His life's work has been completed, his vision achieved, and his memory lives on with his place in history cemented. Appropriately, Quitugua said simply of his coach and friend, "I'll miss him overall, not just parts of him. I'll just miss Ern."

Rosaries are being held nightly at 7:30 at Our Lady of Safe Journey Church in Chalan Pago, with burial scheduled for next Wednesday at 1pm at Pigo Cemetery in Anigua.

Ernie Abanes was 47 years old.