When Ateneo de Manila University’s Final Four chances dimmed last April 15, head coach Oliver Almadro admitted that other schools had stepped up while his team became stagnant.
After the Blue Eagles finished the season at 4-10 on Saturday following a five-set loss to National University, Almadro offered suggestions for what needs to be done for Ateneo to regain its lost glory.
“Other teams stepped up, other teams improved genetically mas malalaki or something like that but sabi nga ni Faith, we will go back to the drawing board, we have to practice smart, play smart, we have to do things na hindi namin nagagawa ngayon,” said the two-division UAAP champion coach.
“We have to recruit, we have to step up with our program and I know Ateneo has acknowledged everything and Ateneo will always be aiming for excellence and success,” he added.
“Ngayon yun ang unang gagawin namin, aayusin yung programa and… the players will help us, our players are really motivated after this season to bounce back and step up.”
The Blue Eagles are set to lose scorer Vanie Gandler while star Faith Nisperos is still keeping mum on what her next move will be – if she will stay in Ateneo or turn pro. But Almadro is trusting the process and has come to acknowledge that this time, they may be at the bottom half of the wheel of winners in the UAAP.
“We know for a fact that our program is there but other programs have already caught up on us so we have to rebuild and we have to accept that it will always be a process. So learning, step up, and work harder the next time,” shared Almadro.
“We have to step up also. I know for a fact na our athletics office, our volleyball program is doing their very best to catch up also kasi we know that we’re there and programs caught up so it’s a cycle.”
For Nisperos, the Blue Eagles need to evolve into what other teams are doing to return to their winning ways. However, the 5-foot-11 open spiker from Davao still gives credit to her teammates, knowing that the skills are there, and whatever they lack this time, they need to figure out in the offseason.
“Of course, everybody is evolving and kami naman, it’s a learning season nga and more than working hard, we need to start working smart kasi nga everyone is evolving and we also need to evolve ourselves,” said Nisperos.
“I think na doon din kami nagkulang, we needed to push more and that’s really it kasi skillful ang team ko yet somehow may kulang so that’s something we need to go back to the drawing board.”
