Amid the fierce tournament battles, the onslaught of competitions weighs heavily on student-athletes. Fatigue, slump, and exhaustion set in, brought by the demand of maintaining their top performance both inside and outside the courts. But at the core of collegiate programs like the DLSU Green Archers are the trainers that serve as their backbone, reinforcing from the bottom up and making sure the team can stand the tests that are thrown at them.
For strength and conditioning coach Marco Villanueva, it is more than just physically strengthening the athletes; he takes a multifaceted approach to every player with every single aspect—from training to recovery—plotted down to the tiniest details.
Hurdles of the season
The inconspicuous stipulations of student-athletes quietly stack in their daily lives as they take on competitions, practices, and academics. However, once that scaffolding collapses, no amount of conditioning may safeguard them from injuries. Villanueva emphasizes: “Injuries are unavoidable and can happen at any time, even to fit athletes,” thus, pushing past the hurdles now lies in preparation and anticipation as high-stakes environments such as the UAAP demand lightning-fast intervention when injuries crash the bright lights.
Villanueva also highlighted that when injuries occur, the squad also takes the brunt of the damage, adding that “an athlete getting injured in preseason can affect the team’s lineup.” Filling the void of key players means redistributing responsibilities across the roster, where the entire squad must shoulder newfound challenges as a collective. The remaining athletes must then bear the weight to deliver greater outputs on the offense and defense.
With this in mind, Villanueva and the training staff established a crucial foothold for the Green-and-White. The Taft-based squad was not only built on hard work and talent alone as the trainers put in extra hours to make sure the athletes stay on top of their game while honing their physical and mental craft to the highest level.
Suiting up for battle
In a season where legs go heavy and minds can wander, the Green Archers’ edge is strengthened by the people working out of the limelight. For Villanueva, the task is not just to build stronger bodies, but to keep them responsive and ready for the next fight. “We make sure to check on their status, especially before and after games,” he shared, describing a routine built around proper sleep, nutrition, hydration, mental wellness, and recovery.
Villanueva’s approach reflects a broader truth about the UAAP: physical readiness and mental sharpness are inseparable. “An integrated, structured program is important for building both physical and mental aspects,” he explained. This translates to training the body through continuous conditioning while also exposing student-athletes to scenarios that mirror the intensity of real games. The goal is not only to make players faster or stronger, but to help them stay composed when the game tightens and the stakes rise. As Villanueva puts it, “Every physical session needs a mental challenge, and every mental rehearsal demands physical context.”
The work, however, does not end in the Enrique M. Razon weight room or training courts. To Villanueva, progress has to be objectively measured, not instinctively guessed. The coaching staff tracks a mix of subjective and objective metrics—from pain scales and functional assessments to strength tests, body composition, and velocity work. These benchmarks are checked at the end of each mesocycle, or roughly every four to six weeks, giving the trainers a clearer picture of whether an athlete is improving or simply surviving the grind. In that sense, the numbers reflect stories of how the team is holding its championship-caliber shape one session at a time.
Long game
Preventing injuries and ensuring players undergo proper recovery are vital in preparing them for the physical demands of tournaments. Villanueva highlighted the importance of communication between coaches, trainers, and athletes in monitoring their condition and implementing the right training program. Villanueva, a former DLSU Green Jin himself, explained that since injuries can greatly affect an athlete’s performance, coordination between doctors, physical therapists, as well as strength and conditioning coaches is crucial in helping players recover safely. It is important to trust the rehabilitation process and continue modified training programs maintaining fitness while recovering as “short-term sacrifice prevents long-term disaster.”
Change is inevitable in college sports as student-athletes graduate and move forward with their careers. For Villanueva, dealing with new recruits every year is simply part of the job, with communication being an important aspect of keeping them in shape for the grueling UAAP season ahead. Understanding a player’s injury history allows physical therapists to identify areas to focus on and create a unique strength and conditioning plan for each player. “We need to communicate clearly so we can identify our shared goals. Ask about injury history, as this will help us understand what to work on and the focus of improvement,” Villanueva explained.
Villanueva emphasizes the importance of teaching athletes the basics first and building a strong foundation early on. By consistently reinforcing proper habits during training, players are able to incorporate these routines into their daily lives, helping them develop discipline and improve both on and off the court.
