The road to the top of the podium entails many roadblocks. Some would easily give up given the circumstances, but for the De La Salle Taekwondo (DELTA) Team, continuous practice and improvement of training regimen might just be key for their way back to glory.
Season 80 produced satisfactory results in Kyorugi (sparring) as both the men’s and the women’s teams were able to best their previous results. On the other hand, DELTA lost the Poomsae championship garnering two gold, a silver, and a bronze medal. Dropping to second place gave them a hard patch to manage, as the UST Growling Tigers snatched the championship by having a tally of three gold, and a bronze medal.
UAAP 80 heartbreak
“Last season, akala namin sa amin na yung championship kasi grabe yung training and grabe yung preparation namin,” Lady Jins team captain Lovely Avancena states. Despite the rigorous preparation, the women’s team still fell short, and Avancena points out that the team got overconfident and lacked enough belief.
(Last season, we thought that the championship was ours already because we trained hard and prepared.)
The women’s team captain further explains, “Masyado kaming confident sa sarili namin na kayang kaya namin, and siguro kulang kami ng trust sa isa’t-isa last season. May trust man, pero sa sarili lang, wala sa coach and sa team.”
(We were too confident in ourselves thinking that we could do it, but we might have lacked trust in each other. We might have had trust in ourselves, but not in our coach and our team.)
Immanuel Donato, meanwhile, says that the previous campaign was a hard fought season, and that it was a positive one as they improved their standing. “We had ups and downs during the games, [but] most of all, we learned a lot from it,” the Green Jins team captain adds.
Careful preparation
Avancena says that the preseason preparation this year was difficult as the coaching staff made a few adjustments in the training program of the players. She shares that this new program is better than last year since most of the players improved a lot during offseason.
Aside from using a new training method to prepare them this Season 81, the women’s team also participated in various tournaments in the offseason. “Madami kami sinasalihan na tournaments, and sobrang saya sa feeling kasi parang nakikita mo sa team na nasa peak na kaming lahat and ready na for this season para makipagbakbakan,” shared the Lady Jin team captain.
(We participated in a lot of tournaments, and it was a nice feeling because you get to see the team reaching its peak and we’re ready to battle it out for this season.)
For the men’s team, Donato says that the opportunity to compete in the Nationals and in the Smart Best of the Best National Championships IIRC which helped them fine-tune their skills for Season 81. These tournaments not only increased their team chemistry, but also boosted their morale heading into the new campaign as Donato shares that they won two gold medals along the way.
New faces
The Lady Jins will welcome three rookies but will miss the services of Arjyen Datuin for Season 81. Avancena shared that, “Yung rookies namin may will manalo kasi makikita mo talaga na gusto nila manalo. Gagawin nila lahat para sa team.” Mitch Agapito, who missed Season 80 due to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, will return to the team this year.
(Our rookies have the will to win because you see it in them that they want to win. They’re willing to do everything for
the team.)
Similar to the women’s team, the Green Jins will also welcome three rookies in Gian Gutierrez, Johnson Rosario, and Dylan Reyes. “They have been training since summer and have adjusted well in the collegiate level of competition,” says Donato. However, the team will lose Omer Mohammed and John Canizares as the former transferred to UP, while the latter has graduated.
Hopeful comeback
With the number of fierce competitors the team has to face, both team captains made sure that each team is taken care of and not underestimated. Avancena stresses that the lack of nitpicking disrupted their mental preparation and overall performance last season, “This season, kung sinong unang team makakalaban namin yun muna i-focus namin. Peroin general, yung goal namin is to beat all the teams the same way [we analyzed our first opponent].” The same can be said for Donato as his focus is to beat all the teams they
will face.
(This season, whichever team we will face in the beginning will be our focus first. But in general, our goal is to beat all the teams the same way [we analyzed our first opponent.)
Each team will be vying for the championship and that is no easy task. Avancena, in return, thinks that the road to the championship is doable, as both rookies and mainstays alike are exponentially improving through their rigorous training efforts and participation in preseason tournaments. While earning medals are attained by individual participation, she believes that team effort will be the only way for them to propel in the standings. Donato adds, “Yes, we’re believing [in] it. We train hard every day to achieve our common goal which is the championship.”
While the Poomsae championship slipped away from Taft months ago, the memory and pain still haunts the team until this day. “We are taking extra steps for improvement and working to get that crown back.” With the focus on conditioning and the study of effective techniques used in the competitions, they are now setting their eyes on the prize.
Being named team captain is no joke; you are assumed to be the general who will rally the team to the right direction. In an interesting perspective, Avancena portrays herself as someone who guides rather than someone who is imperative in captaincy. “Pag captain kasi di naman kailangan ikaw laging angat. For me, ang captain ay taga-guide sa mga members.”
(When you’re captain, it shouldn’t always be you on top. For me, a captain is someone who guides her members.)
She also adds that everyone in the team is equal, and her captaincy is not a big deal as their common goal is defined. On the other hand, Donato is inclined to the belief that pressure is natural during competitions. “[I’ll] admit it, I still feel kind of pressured, but I’m handling it pretty well,” he says. With the level of maturity and respect the team captains are showcasing, there is no doubt that the team is armed and ready for the upcoming season.
