A month into coaching the Adamson University Lady Falcons suddenly thrown into the rebuilding mix, new head coach JP Yude told his players to move on and focus on instilling confidence and trust in one another.
Following a third-place finish in the UAAP Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament, the Lady Falcons not only lost former lead tactician Jerry Yee to the University of the East but also bid goodbye to Louie Romero, Rizza Cruz, and Ckyle Tagsip.
Meanwhile, former main guns Kate Santiago and Trisha Tubu cut their collegiate careers short to join the Farm Fresh Foxies in the Premier Volleyball League.
“Lagi ko sinasabi na kumbaga, wag na natin sila tignan, magfocus lang tayo kung sino natira. Ito yung pagtutuunan natin ng focus every time nasa training.
“Sabi ko naman sa kanila, you have skills, everything, may talent kayo, magagaling din naman kayo, kaso lang hindi pa nalalabas kasi mas may nagagamit pa sa inyo dati. Pinagfo-focusan ko talaga sa kanila ay yung self-confidence and yung trust nila sa sarili nila,” said Yude, a proud Adamsonian himself.
Yude, who led the Baby Lady Falcons to silver in Season 85, is solely focused on two things: unleashing the talent and instilling self-confidence and trust in Adamson’s young players.
Noting that five of his current players came from his high school program, while some were bench pieces from the former iterations of the Baby Falcons, he noted that their current training approach is doing wonders for the young Adamson collegiate squad. They recently swept Jose Maria College, 25-17, 25-11, 25-17, in the Shakey’s Super League National Invitationals on Saturday afternoon at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
(C) Roman Prospero/SSL
“It’s a short preparation din kasi eh one month ko pa lang sila nahahawakan nung time na binigay sakin, pero so far, we are doing good naman sa training and tuneups,” shared Yude.
“It’s a good experience din para sa mga bata, kasi halos lahat bago sa first six kasi marami nawala, siguro doon din nila maggain yung confidence nila sa paglalaro tsaka tiwala sa sarili. Kasi sometimes, kahit gaano tayo kagaling, pero pag wala tayo tiwala sa sarili tsaka confidence sa paglalaro, balewala yung skills natin,” he added.
The former Soaring Falcon said he wants his young Adamson squad to gain experiences and learnings in the Shakey’s and ACES-organized league.
Yude added that if the Lady Falcons want to go far in this pre-season league and their future matches, revamped aggressiveness, and heightened confidence and trust in one another will move them one step forward in their rebuild phase.
“First goal talaga namin is makakuha talaga ng experience and learnings pa eh… Hopefully, by God’s will, kung makaakyat kami, we can do better. We’re not expecting na to go for the championship, pero ttrabahauin namin papunta doon,” Yude concluded. (Ernest Martin Tuazon)
