Coach Rubilen Amit soon?


Rubilen Amit (left) and Chezka Centeno show their gold medals after ruling the 9-ball women's doubles final in the 30th Southeast Asian Games held at Tent City of the Manila Hotel. (Photo by Manny Llanes).

Two-time world pool champion Rubilen Amit bared the long-term plans she have in mind once her billiards career ends.

One of which is to teach the next generation of athletes.

"Even if I have to start small, but I really want to start something for women's billiards. Kasi ang focus ko for the past few years was my career (Because my focus for the past few years was my career)," said Amit in a recent interview over Radyo Pilipinas' PSC Hour.

Without giving an exact timeline, the Southeast Asian Games multi-gold medalist wanted to give back to the Phillippine billiards scene by organizing tournaments and coaching aspiring athletes.

In fact, Amit said she had offered free billiards lessons even before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 39-year-old Cebuano hotshot said she finds fulfillment in teaching and even made friends with fellow SEA Games competitors from other countries through the sport.

"I also somehow try to help their game. 'Di ko iniisip na, 'Ah kalaban yan sa SEA Games. Kailangan itago ko 'yung mga alam ko.' Hindi rin po ganun. When I see something na pwede to improve, sinasabi ko rin talaga (I dismiss the fact that they were my opponents in SEA Games and that I need to hide my learnings from them. For me, it doesn't work that way. When I see something that they need to improve on, I would tell them)," said Amit, who ruled the women's 9-ball singles and 9-ball doubles alongside protege and pal Chezka Centeno in the 2019 edition of the biennial regional meet.

Amit is also banking on the 21-year-old Centeno, who reigned supreme in the 10-ball singles at the same tournament, as the future of women's billiards in the country.

Centeno, who also dominated the 9-ball singles event in the 2015 and 2017 SEA Games, has yet to become a champion but Amit sees a bright future for her prized apprentice.

Amit is set to start full-blown preparation in April while other national team members are currently conducting self-training.