Fritz Gaston

Fritz Gaston
Commissioner of the Philippine Sports Commission
Incumbent
Assumed office
March 4, 2023
Commissioner of the Games and Amusements Board
In office
2011–2017
Basketball career
Personal information
NationalityFilipino
Listed height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight175 lb (79 kg)
Career information
CollegeAteneo
Playing career1979–1986
PositionGuard
Number14, 20, 22
Career history
As player:
1979 – 1980U/Tex Wranglers
1983San Miguel Beermen
1984Crispa Redmanizers
1985Manila Beer Brewmasters
1986Great Taste Coffee Makers
As coach:
1988Ateneo
1997Mobiline Cellulars
2003–2007Philippines (women)
Career highlights and awards
As head coach:

As player

Medals
Head coach for  Philippines
SEABA Women's Championship
Silver medal – second place 2007 Phuket Team
Southeast Asian Games
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Nakhon Ratchasima Team

Matthew "Fritz" Gaston is a Filipino former basketball player and coach.

Career

Playing career

College

The basketball team of the Ateneo de Manila University had Gaston as a player. He was part of the Ateneo squad which won two consecutive titles in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in 1975 and 1976.[1] He was part of the last NCAA Ateneo squad before the university left the collegiate league in 1978 to transfer to the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).[2]

Club

Gaston also played in the Philippine Basketball Association from 1979 to 1986.[2] He played for multiple teams namely as the U/Tex Wranglers (1980), San Miguel Beermen (1983), Crispa Redmanizers (1984), Manila Beer Brewmasters (1985) and the Great Taste Coffee Makers (1986). With U/Tex he clinched the 1980 PBA All-Filipino Conference title.[1]

National team

He was also a player for the Philippine youth national team in 1977.[1]

Coaching career

Gaston became coach of his alma mater's basketball team. He led the Ateneo Blue Eagles to a UAAP title in Season 51 (1988).[3]

He served as an assistant coach under Norman Black for the Mobiline Cellulars for the 1997 PBA All-Filipino Cup and Commissioner's Cup.[4]

In 2003, Gaston became the head coach of the Philippines women's national basketball team.[5] He guided the team to a bronze medal finish at the 2007 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand and a silver medal finish at the 2007 SEABA Championship for Women.[6]

Sports administration

Gaston was commissioner for the Games and Amusement Board, a government body which deals with professional sports in the Philippines, from 2011 to 2017.[5] He would be later appointed as a commissioner for the Philippine Sports Commission (that administers grassroots and amateur sports) on March 24, 2023 by President Bongbong Marcos.[7]

Personal life

Gaston has Silay, Negros Occidental as his hometown.[5][8] Gaston is married to Aurora Mandanas Gaston, a former beauty pageant contestant who won the 1984 Miss Asia Pacific.[9]

His daughter, Pauline is a professional volleyball player who has played in the Filipino Premier Volleyball League.[10][11] Therese, another daughter is a former collegiate volleyball player and a beauty pageant queen like her mother.[9][12]

References

  1. ^ a b c Pedralvez, Bong (March 30, 2023). "Gaston completes PSC 5-man board". Malaya Business Insight. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Ballesteros, Jan (July 5, 2020). "Gaston on former teammate Watson, Ateneo's transfer to UAAP". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  3. ^ Malanum, Jean (March 31, 2023). "PSC chief welcomes appointment of Commissioner Gaston". Philippine News Agency.
  4. ^ "Gaston named PSC commissioner – Daily Tribune". March 30, 2023. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Ramos, Josef (March 30, 2023). "Former PBA player Fritz Gaston appointed PSC commissioner". BusinessMirror. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  6. ^ Olivares, Rick (February 12, 2017). "SBP at 10". Bleacher's Brew. BusinessMirror. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  7. ^ "Gaston embraces challenge as PSC commissioner". ABS-CBN News. April 1, 2023. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  8. ^ "Bacolod eyes to host Batang Pinoy in 2024". SunStar. June 7, 2023. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  9. ^ a b "Beauty and sports in her genes". Lifestyle.INQ. Philippine Daily Inquirer. December 13, 2014. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  10. ^ "Pauline Gaston makes sure to pay tribute to dad Fritz". Premier Volleyball League. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  11. ^ Ballesteros, Jan (July 6, 2023). "Stunner at the Palace! Pauline Gaston visits Malacañang for important appointment". One Sport. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  12. ^ Villano, Alexa (June 20, 2018). "Former Ateneo Lady Eagle Therese Gaston joins Miss Manila 2018". Rappler. Retrieved September 28, 2023.