Blazing the trail

There are moments in sports when a single step defines a lifetime.

And for Philippine Taekwondo Association (PTA) director Stephen Fernandez, it was not a kick, not a medal, and not even a triumphant raise of his arm inside the ring.

It was the quiet step he took on 1 March 1981, when as a wide-eyed teenager who grew up idolizing Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, he walked into Virra Mall in Greenhills with his Korean classmate and signed up for a taekwondo class.

That step — ordinary at the time — became the foundation of a lifetime dedicated to discipline, sacrifice and service to Philippine sports.

“I grew up watching Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and many other martial arts movies, so when I had the opportunity to visit Greenhills at Virra Mall with my Korean classmate, who was my barkada, that’s when I got introduced to Taekwondo,” Fernandez said in the latest episode of “Off the Court,” the weekly sports show of DAILY TRIBUNE.

“So I watched for one day, and on 1 March of 1981, that was the first day I enrolled, and I never stopped practicing ever since that day in 1981 to the present day of 2025.”

Fernandez has lived through every phase of an athlete’s life.

His story is not merely a tale of medals won and competitions fought, but of perseverance and purpose.

“Well, I always tell people that being an athlete is one of the happiest and most fulfilling moments of my life,” Fernandez said.

“I’ve experienced a lot of victories and defeats, I’ve made a lot of friends here and abroad, and of course, I’ve had a lot of mentors who have guided me on my journey, not just as an athlete, but as a coach and as a person. And the person that I am today in sports is because of what I have experienced in my life as an athlete.”

It’s also a way of giving back, sharing the experience with the younger generation of athletes today, that, you know, in sports, there’s so many things to learn, not just the skill, but you also learn about yourself, what you can achieve, what you can strive for.”

“And at the same time, once you’ve retired and finished your playing days, then it’s time that you give back as much as you can, and if possible.”

Warrior’s journey

The 1980s were a different world for Philippine sports.

Support was meager, awareness was shallow, and recognition was rare. Taekwondo itself was a mystery to most Filipinos, often dismissed as a “dance group” when the pioneers left the country to compete abroad.

But Fernandez and his peers persevered.

“Back then, in the 1980s, people didn’t know about sports. When we were talking about taekwondo, they said it’s a dance group. We used to have a dance group when we were leaving the country because we wore barong tagalog and formal attire.”

“But now, if you look at taekwondo, it’s like that. At the same time, back then, unlike now, there’s a lot of support for our athletes in general. Back then, we were really happy.”

Unlike today where athletes would get allowances from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) or from their respective sponsors, Fernandez said he and his teammates in the national team were only given some sports gear.

“We were given jackets, bags, and we were okay with that. But we are very happy with the athletes now that they have this kind of support. Back then, this was our dream to be accepted,” Fernandez said.

“But nevertheless, it did not take away our drive, our desire to represent the country, to fight for flag and honor.”

A De La Salle University alumnus, Fernandez would carve his name into the country’s Olympic history, competing when taekwondo was still a demonstration sport in Seoul in 1988 and Barcelona in 1992.

Together with his teammates, he became a pioneer in placing the Philippines on the world taekwondo map.

“Well, I did a demo sport in 1988 and 1992 with my teammate, Monsour del Rosario in 1988, and Bea Lucero, Dean Vargas and Mary Alindogan,” said Fernandez, who got a bronze medal in the men’s bantamweight in the 1992 Barcelona Summer Games.

“We competed in the pioneering years of the sport in the Olympic Games because it became a regular sport in 2000. By then, I was long retired.”

“After winning the bronze in 1992, I said, I can die because I never thought that this would happen in my lifetime. But nevertheless, with preparation, the support of my family, my teammates, my teacher, this all became a reality. Looking back, I have no regrets.”

“I am very humbled by the experience. I hope many more Filipinos will get the chance to compete in the Olympic Games. Especially now, we have gold medals.”

“We have a lot of medals that can be won. This proves that Filipinos can really stand out in world level competition given the support, the training, the nutrition, the psychological support that they can have. It’s really different these days.”

The Olympic dream was not born overnight.

Fernandez remembers how as early as 1985, when the Philippines joined the Gintong Alay program the talk was already about the Asian Games and the Olympics.

Del Rosario pushed him to return in 1992 because the podium was within reach.

And he was right.

“Definitely. I remember in 1988, my big brother, Sir Monsour, told me that I should have come back if I had a chance in 1992 because we can win here,” Fernandez said.

“Before that, we played internationally. We reached the medal range, medal standings and finals. But the Olympics were really different because looking back in 1985, when we first joined the Gintong Alay, the Asian Games and Olympics were already being discussed.”

“When we went there in 1988 and 1992, we proved that this can really happen. Given the proper preparation, proper mindset, the Filipinos can win. In fact, even in other non-Olympic sports, we have world champions in bowling, billiards.”

The landscape of sports has changed since Fernandez’s prime. Athletes today enjoy corporate support that was scarce in his time.

Yet, he takes pride in knowing that his generation helped open those doors.

“Because we are echoing in our own little way that no matter how hard it was in our preparation, the reward of what the athletes are doing now is equivalent. We all agree that sports is really a way to a better life for many,” Fernandez said.

“And many of our young athletes today also come from not so well-to-do families. In fact, being given education in a school for a scholarship is a big plus factor to a better life. During our time, we didn’t have that so much.”

“Schools weren’t that open way back in the 80s. But now, I’m grateful and thankful for the colleges and schools that are supporting collegiate sports and giving athletes that opportunity for education, to compete for their school and being an open pathway for the national team program.”

Moving up

Transitioning from athlete to official is never easy, but Fernandez embraced every role: Trainer, coach, referee, technical delegate, and now director of the PTA.

Fernandez even became the head coach of La Salle’s men’s and women’s taekwondo teams from 1989 to 2013 and won eight University Athletic Association of the Philippines titles before moving his way up as the current PTA director.

“Actually, I did everything. I was an athlete, I became a trainer, coach, referee, I became a technical delegate,” Fernandez said.

“One thing led to the other. By just doing your thing or giving your best all times and protecting integrity, that is one thing that brought me to where I am today. At the same time, thanking all those people who have helped me.”

“It is a responsibility, a trust that is given to you and you must take care of it and pave the way for the next set of leaders who will come along the way when their playing days are over as well.”

That same sense of legacy fuels his work in the Philippine Olympians Association (POA), a community of past and present Olympians who continue to give back through clinics, summits, and leadership programs.

Among his proudest projects was the Living Archive of the Olympians, an online database that gives the stories of national team athletes from the past.

“We still have a lot of fellow Olympians who can share or document their journey and inspire our youth here,” said Fernandez, who is currently the POA treasurer.

“But some are shy and some are really expressive. But we say it’s better if we are still here so we can document and record. Because it’s not easy for them to reach their respective sports.”

“You know, we all come from different backgrounds. Some are from the provinces, some are from the cities. It’s good to hear.”

Even today, as director of the PTA, Fernandez carries both the pressure and the responsibility of ensuring taekwondo remains a medal source for the Philippines in international competitions.

“Because what happens is, when people start to think that it’s okay, that there are still four of us in taekwondo, is there that much pressure on you? Every time we go out, we play Southeast Asian Games and Asian Games. I’d be lying if I said there’s no pressure. But definitely, our players are always ready,” Fernandez said.

“And we are confident of what our players can achieve. That’s why they deliver. But at the end of the day, it really is a collective effort of the whole association to attain the medals that we aspire for.”

“I don’t want to give any medal count because we believe in the capability of all our players that will be going there. Southeast Asia is a very tough region when it comes to Taekwondo because you have Thailand, you have Vietnam, who are very well-ranked in the world in terms of kyorugi and poomsae. But at the same time, our team is not lagging behind.”

His advice to the new generation of sports leaders is as simple as it is profound: to give, to serve, and to help whenever possible.

“My advice is to be ready for the challenges ahead. The challenges are different compared to being a player, being a coach. But it is also very fulfilling to see that you get to resolve situations, to find solutions, and to help a helping hand to those athletes in need,” Fernandez said.

“And what my Grandmaster (Hong Sung Chon) always says, if you have the chance to help, help as much as you can. Because at the end of the day, your help will go a long way to fulfilling something that is aspired for by somebody else.”

“But if you cannot, then giving your best is enough already.”