One of the most overlooked aspects of sports is mental health — how it impacts not just an individual athlete but an entire team, both in their on-court performance and off-court aspirations.
For the past two UAAP men’s volleyball seasons, Far Eastern University has endured its share of struggles.
A bronze-medal finish in Season 85 was followed by a heartbreaking Season 86, where the Tamaraws, after securing the top seed, suffered an early Final Four exit.
Determined to steer the team toward redemption in UAAP Season 87, Jude Saavedra — last season’s Best Opposite Spiker — made it a priority to emphasize the importance of mental health within the squad.
That initiative paid dividends as FEU roared to an excellent start, emerging as the only unbeaten team with a statement victory over defending champion National University, 27-25, 25-14, 25-23.
Their perfect 3-0 record also includes a dominant sweep of University of the Philippines and a convincing four-set win over title contender University of Santo Tomas.
Saavedra spearheaded the Tamaraws’ breakthrough against NU, scoring 20 points off 17 attacks and three blocks while also contributing a dig. The win snapped FEU’s seven-game losing streak against the Bulldogs, dating back to April 28, 2019, in Season 81.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“Good thing kasi ngayon sa team namin na napapag-uusapan namin yung about sa mental namin. Talagang ‘yon yung kulang namin last season,” Saavedra said postgame.
“Sana tuloy-tuloy kasi ang ganda ng kinalabasan ‘eh. Magaan maglaro at sobrang saya — lahat nag-eenjoy lang at pinapakita yung best nila.”
Ahead of their highly anticipated matchup against NU, the Tamaraws held a crucial heart-to-heart talk the night before. They wanted to focus on the team’s character both on and off the court despite their early 2-0 start.
While Saavedra did not reveal the specifics of what was discussed, he felt relieved to have backed up his words with action, proving himself a true leader against the reigning champions.
“Kagabi kasi nag-session kami at pinag-usapan namin kung ano character namin sa loob ng court. May sinabi rin ako doon. Kaninang umaga ko pa iniisip na dapat magampanan ko yung sinabi ko ‘eh — hindi lang basta salita. Gusto ko ipakita at i-prove sa kanila na yung sinasabi ko, kaya kong gampanan,” he explained.
FEU’s early-season success has been a collective effort, but head coach Eddieson Orcullo credited Saavedra’s leadership and mental health advocacy as key factors in their three-game winning streak.
His leadership energized the Tamaraws, with crucial contributions from spark plugs off the bench, including Ariel Cacao (14 excellent sets, one point) and rookie Amet Bituin (10 points on eight attacks, one block, and one ace, along with five excellent receptions and one excellent dig), helping FEU complete its sweep of NU.
“Yun, syempre thankful tayo diyan kasi alam mo yung bagay na leadership, hindi lahat ng tao meron niyan eh. So, thankful ako kasi yung mga players natin, talagang nandiyan para gampanan yung bawa’t isa na role nila,” Orcullo shared.
“Yung dedication tsaka yung hard work nila, samahan natin ng magandang pamilya sa team, talagang makikita at makikita natin yung result sa dulo.”
