Months since his fatherhood journey began, Noel Kampton talks about life and lessons as a first-time dad.
Noel Kampton still remembers the days leading up to the birth of his son, Leon Gabriel, in December last year.
It was in the middle of the Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference with DLSU when Noel was informed by his wife, Abbe, that she was due to give birth anytime between late November to early December.
“Ongoing ‘yung Spikers’ Turf, tapos sinabi ni Abbe na anytime soon, lalabas na si Leon,” Noel told The GAME in an exclusive interview. “Doon, pumunta na ako ng CDO [Cagayan de Oro, para makita] si Leon, and doon nga, sakto pagdating ko, parang inintay lang nila ako ni Leon, and ayan na, nag-labor na si Abbe, then [Leon was born].”
It was around 2:30 a.m. on December 4 last year when Abbe gave birth to Leon, officially welcoming their firstborn just in time for the Christmas season. Seeing his newborn son, Noel said, has ingrained a precious image in his mind that he can still recall up to this day.
“Sobrang liit ni Leon, sabi ko! Ganito pala itsura ng baby, maliit!” he recalled. “[Now], ang laki na ni Leon, grabe! Ngayon naman, nagka-crawl na siya, tapos nagkaka-teeth na, alam mo ‘yung ang sarap tignan ng bata na lumaki?”
Six months in as a first-time dad, how exactly has fatherhood changed Noel Kampton’s life?
Change in priorities
Fatherhood (or parenthood for that matter) isn’t as simple as settling down with your partner and child in a place you can call home. Much like a fresh graduate entering the professional world, it requires a number of sacrifices, including a farewell to more relaxed or pressure-free environments.
Well-aware of this shift in lifestyle, Noel admits how he felt a mix of excitement and anxiety when he was first informed of Baby Leon’s impending birth.
“Sobrang happy ako, and of course, siyempre natatakot din ako kung ready na ba ako or what,” Kampton said. “Pero ayun, nung dumating si Leon, nag-iba ‘yung goals ko sa life talaga, and lalo ako nag-work hard para kay Leon.”
During Baby Leon’s first few months, Noel was in the midst of his final year with DLSU, which required him to balance his commitments as a hands-on dad and a student-athlete trying to excel on both the court and in the classroom.
As difficult as it was during the first few months, the stars eventually aligned for Noel, with the Green Spikers’ coaching staff and his professors being more than supportive of his transition into fatherhood.
“Siguro time management lang, then kung gusto mo naman ‘yung ginagawa mo, kung ano ‘yung nangyayari sa life mo, madali lang. For me, lang. Nadalian lang ako, nung una lang ako nahirapan kasi si Leon nangnangapa pa,” he said.
“Pero ‘yung pakonti–konti, nasanay na ako, and madali na talaga. But of course, you should love it lang.”
Though that’s not to say that Noel didn’t encounter any challenges, namely the numerous sleepless nights in order to be a hands-on parent for Baby Leon.
“‘Yan talaga ‘yung number one kasi may times na pag nagde-day off si yaya namin and I’m helping my wife. Sabi ko ang hirap pala, kasi pag sobrang hands-on mo sa baby mo, doon ‘yung pinakamahabang tulog mo is three hours straight, tapos pagising-gising na ‘yan,” Noel recalls.
On the other hand, however, entering this lifelong commitment has allowed Noel to grow into a more mature and goal-oriented person, one who takes fatherhood as a source of motivation rather than pressure.
Now that he’s set to play professionally, providing the best life for Baby Leon is something that takes utmost importance in Noel’s list of priorities.
“Sobrang [laking motivation], kasi ibang usapan na ‘yung pro diba? Nagkaka-salary na tayo, kaya namo-motivate ako na gagalingan ko lalo kasi para maka-provide ako para sa kanila. Hindi lang para sa akin, but of course para kay Leon and kay Abby,” said Noel, who recently signed with the Criss Cross King Crunchers in the Spikers Turf, and PSNKK Club in the Volleyball Thailand League (VTL).
Added Noel, “Before, wala akong goals sa buhay ko, happy-go-lucky lang ako. Ngayon may goals na ako, may baby na umaasa na sakin, and of course, tumitingin sakin ‘yun!”
As for his biggest lesson, Noel says that fatherhood has taught him the value of being responsible.
“‘Yun talaga ‘yung pinakadinadala ko until now, kasi if you’re not responsible enough, you cannot be a dad.”
Family first, always
Now that Noel Kampton is set to begin his professional career, it will once again be a balancing act between being a hands-on father and an athlete who has to attend daily training sessions. Soon, he will also be travelling to Thailand to fulfill his overseas dreams with the PSNKK Club.
It remains to be seen how Noel will ace this balancing act, but as early as now, he’s promised to keep his family as a top priority in this chapter of his career. After all, no parent wants to miss their children’s formative years, where they will take their first steps, and utter either “mama” or “papa” as their first words.
“Of course, syempre, hindi mawawala sa isip ko ‘yung family ko, kasi ito na ‘yung crucial moments ng milestones ng baby eh, ‘yun ‘yung dun sila magwa-walk, ‘yung makikilala tayo, ‘yun ‘yung nakaka-excite lang,” said Noel.
Either way, Noel is just excited to have an added source of inspiration at this point in his life, where he will have Baby Leon and his cute little smile waiting after every game day. In a few years’ time, Noel might just hear some words of encouragement from his bundle of joy moving forward.
“Diba ‘yung last game ko [against FEU], talo kami? Nakita ko ‘yung baby tsaka wife ko tas sabi ko, ‘Okay na ako’ whether we win or lose,” Noel said as he recalled his farewell game with DLSU in the UAAP Season 87 Final Four.
“Pero during that time na talo kami, makita ko lang ‘yung smile nila lang masaya na ako kasi nakakagaan na rin ng loob sa akin. Na may naghihintay na sayo and magsasabi na ‘Daddy, it’s okay, we’re here’. Yan ‘yung best feeling para sa akin.”
If anything, Baby Leon entering Noel Kampton’s life is a full-circle moment of sorts, and could be compared to how volleyball changed his life as an even more happy-go-lucky elementary student.
As Noel puts it, volleyball “saved” his life, and it is a story that he hopes to tell Baby Leon as he grows older.
“Feeling ko, pag kunwari hindi ako nag-volleyball, iba ‘yung magiging direction ng buhay ko. Kasi dumating ‘yung volleyball sa akin, nagkaroon ako ng [activity] na magiging busy ako. So natuwa ako sa volleyball, challenging sport siya kasi ang hirap talaga ng volleyball para sa lalaki sa totoo lang!,” said Noel, who played for Perpetual Help in high school before committing to DLSU for college.
But for now, Noel is just excited to carry on with his journey with Baby Leon, especially in a generation where every precious moment is caught on camera and posted on social media.
Whether or not Leon will dabble in volleyball himself, Noel is just glad to have a son who will witness his own growth as a father and volleyball player.
He concluded, “Sasabihin ko nung last playing year ko sa UAAP ‘Ayan ka oh! Baby ka pa diyan, tas ngayon ikaw na ‘yung tuturan ko mag-volleyball!’. Pero kung gusto niya [lang] mag-volleyball, and hindi ko naman siya pipilitin.”
Banner images courtesy of Cas Aseoche and the UAAP Media Bureau.
Related Stories
