University of the Philippines Lady Maroons head coach Jerry Yee is a man who sees the big picture.
Even if UP pulls off a win, the stern mentor always conveys dissatisfaction with his post-game forays with the media, stressing that his Lady Maroons could have executed better.
“I can honestly say no,” Yee told reporters after UP’s four-set victory over the Ateneo de Manila University Lady Eagles when asked if he was satisfied with his team’s showing.
Yee is a stickler for UP’s execution. He sees the one or two sets that the Lady Maroons give up in matches as missed opportunities for a straight-set victory.
“The finished product would probably be kapag wala ng downtime. May improvements pero malayo pa as of now,” Yee continued.
While other teams, especially winning teams like UP, take their coach’s blunt remarks as a slight to their effort, the Lady Maroons completely understands their coach’s frustration.
According to UP team captain Kathy Bersola, Yee had told the team how they would lose the match before the Ateneo game. True enough, the Lady Maroons dropped the second set exactly how Yee told they would.
“Before the game, sinabi niya ‘yung mga posible naming maging mali. Sinabi niya na ‘yun beforehand tapos ‘yun nga ‘yung nangyari noong natalo kami ng isang set,” the 19 year old recalled.
“‘Yun din naman ang kailangan namin. Kasi ngayon, alam namin sa sarili namin kapag hindi kami nakakapag-execute.
“We know what coach will think and kami din naman na-didisappoint sa sarili namin kapag hindi kami nakaka-execute.”
The Lady Maroons have come a long way since Yee took the program over. From the UAAP’s perennial doormats to one of the strongest contenders for the Season 79 title, the Diliman-based program isn’t taking its new status lightly.
“Siguro kung ikukumpara mo siya sa periodization ng weight training na may five to six phases, nasa third phase pa lang kami,” Bersola, a Sports Science major, remarked when asked where she thought her is at with regards to reaching optimal condition.
Just in the SVL, the Lady Maroons are primed to enter the semifinals, a feat the team has reached only one in the tournament’s 13-year history, with a 2-1 record.
Nabbing a championship before heading into the UAAP could work wonders for the Lady Maroons’ flourish confidence.
“We just need to stay focused and learn to be consistent,” UP’s tower closed.
The Lady Maroons will face UAAP rivals National U Lady Bulldogs tomorrow, 6:00 pm, at the PhilSports Arena.
