The Lady Spikers kick off their redemption campaign this Saturday against last year’s semi-finalist FEU. Coincidentally, it’s Valentine’s Day, so let’s hope our players go home with their hearts full on that day.
The Lady Spikers renew their drive to get to the top behind an almost intact core group led by team captain Shevanna Laput, Alas Philippines standout Angel Canino, last season’s best middle Amie Provido as well as S87’s best libero Lyka de Leon. All four are playing in their 4th season already.
The veterans will be ably supported by Lilay del Castillo (3rd season), Mikole Reyes (2nd), Shane Reterta (2nd), and Pia Rodriguez (2nd). We have a lot of incoming rookies in setter Eshana Nunag, who had extensive exposure in the preseason games that the Lady Spikers participated in, Ashlee Buenaventura, Althea Cabradilla, Ella de Guzman, Vida Caringal, Jhianna de Jesus, Angel Ewis, Eshana Nunag, and Maria Santos.
While almost half of the team is composed of rookies, the core of Canino, Laput, Provido, Reterta, del Castillo, Reyes, de Leon, and Rodriguez can match up with the best of the competition.
The Likely Road Blocks to a Redemption Run
Season 88 is shaping up to be the most competitive in recent years, with multiple teams fielding strong and competitive lineups.
Despite losing national team players Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon, the two-time defending champions NU Lady Bulldogs are still tipped to be a strong bet to make the playoffs. The Lady Bulldogs retained the other starters led by Lamina, Alinsug, Jardio, Maaya, Marsh, and Mata plus their prized recruit Cantada. Incidentally, NU is now coached by former Lady Spiker Regine Diego.
UST boasts of a practically intact lineup with Poyos, Perdido, Jurado, Carballo, Altea, and Banagua, and arguably could compete on even terms with NU. Last year’s semifinalist FEU figures to be in the conversation, with a tall lineup led by Bakanke, Loresco, Ellarina, Asis, and veteran setter Ubaldo. Adamson, led by Alas Pilipinas player Shaina Nitura and FSA Mordi made some noise with good performances in the offseason tournaments. UP will try to insert themselves into contention, as they will parade a new coach in Fabio Menta as well as their transferees from UE led by Dongallo, Madriaga, and Gajero, coupled with returnees Olango, Ytang, and Doering. Ateneo will try to be competitive, but together with UE might not make the playoffs.
Can the Lady Spikers Reclaim the Title?
With other schools levelling up, that’s a maybe at this point. It’s looks like last year’s Final 4 cast will be in the mix again. NU’s been our biggest competitor, and we faced off against them for the crown in 3 out of the past 4 years, winning once in S85 while losing in S84 and S87. NU’s been in the finals since S84, taking 3 titles. They’re likely the biggest stumbling block the Lady Spikers will face. UST has essentially the same team that played NU for the championship in S85, so they will be very tough. Adamson and UP might be capable of edging into the playoffs as well, so every game will count.
But there is no assurance that the future is an extension of the past, and it’s a new season with new hopes.
It’s not inconceivable that the Lady Spikers will draw some inspiration from the feat of the Green Archers, who successfully captured the UAAP S88 basketball crown last December. There are some similarities: both teams battled unsuccessfully for the championships in S87. And both teams lost key pieces after their unsuccessful campaigns. The Green Archers lost the best collegiate player at the time, Kevin Quiambao, Raven Gonzales, Joshua David, and CJ Austria, while the Lady Spikers lost Alleliah Malaluan, Baby Jyne Soreno, Jules Tolentino, and Jessa Ordiales. Usually such major departures are enough to weaken a team, but the Green Archers proved the naysayers wrong, and the Lady Spikers hope to duplicate that accomplishment.
What the Green Archers May Have Learned from the Lady Spikers
Winning involves getting the right personnel, training them in the skills they need to succeed, getting them to master the skills through repetition so it becomes automatic, muscle memory, and blending all those individual talents into the synergy that successful organizations count on to win. And doing it better than competition.
Much was said about the brotherhood the Green Archers had for the past couple of seasons, that strong bond that said they played for each other. Well, the Lady Spikers have had that for a while, a long while actually. Their sisterhood has been in evidence across generations of Lady Spikers. There’s a phrase that epitomizes that relationship that transcends the years – “Once a Lady Spiker, always a Lady Spiker“.
The Biggest Differentiator – Coach Ramil
Coach Ramil’s track record of success over the decades isn’t accidental. there is a system in place that he developed and refined over the years, and the results speak for themselves. He’s arguably the most successful collegiate coach in any sport in the Philippines today. And he’s the most durable, having been a fixture since 1997, all of 29 years and still going strong.
His legacy hasn’t been in the number of his players have, it’s in how they’ve become mature, productive, and successful in their chosen endeavors. There are so many easily searchable articles and videos on the net that pay tribute to the coach and the man.
So what are some possible factors to his success?
Let’s relate it to the Seven Habits:
Be Proactive – Ramil never assumed that the future was an extension of the past, that his past success would result in more success. He factored change into his programs, continuously scouting for young talents in the provinces even when his current players were already among the best. Ramil put in place a development process that covers multiple seasons and overlapping of veterans and newcomers, allowing succession planning and a smooth transfer of “corporate knowledge”.
Begin With the End in Mind – Ramil trained his players to be successful women, and volleyball was just one of the means to do that. He recognized that athletics has a limited time span, so he ensured that his players would finish with degrees and an actual education. Proof: he has players who are in the Dean’s List every year. On the court, he always has a vision of what their objective is for the year, and how he plans to get the team there.
Put First Things First – Ramil recruits players who he feels will become real student-athletes. They need to pass the entrance requirements, get good grades (you flunk, you’re out), and maintain the discipline. But he also delegates much of the monitoring to his players, and it helps them mature and become leaders. But first he makes them work hard for it.
Think Win-Win – by establishing a sisterhood that only grows over the years behind a tried and tested system, Ramil has built a culture that helps ensure his players can become successful in what they do. When they’re successful, they win and the community does too.
Seek First to Understand and then be Understood – While Ramil has standards everyone follows, he personally looks out for his individual players. His tough love and strict father figure reputation hides the personal guidance he practices with his players. There is so much behind the scene stuff that we outsiders don’t get to see, but it’s there, because his former players always speak warmly about how he helped mold them into who they are today.
Synergize – from his scouting, he’s able to select individual players who can mesh with his other players, and teamwork is not easy to develop, particularly when you consider individual egos. The physical aspect, training, discipline, that’s easy compared to melding individuals into a team or sisterhood whose individuals are invested in the same values and goals. He’s done it. That synergy which led to multiple titles attests to that. And his players are still close across generations.
Sharpen the Saw – some critics have panned Ramil as old-fashioned and rigid. But over time he’s incorporated new techniques to develop the skills his players need. Just a few years back, the Lady Spikers attacks from the back row could be counted on one hand. Today, they’re a key offensive weapon. Setting has likewise changed, with Reyes and Nunag able to deliver lower and quicker sets to our frontliners; this requires changes in timing and coordination compared to the higher and slower sets former setter Fajardo would give.
Parallels Between Champion Coaches?
As I mentioned in the previous piece on the Green Archers, Coach Topex is a student of men, and one of the possible models he looked at is Coach Ramil de Jesus, who very likely also practiced Covey’s Seven Habits in one way or another. They have many shared characteristics, like leaving nothing to chance in preparing their teams, treating their players as family, imposing discipline while allowing some discretion, and continuing to learn.
How Might the Season Go?
With so many strong teams and the, a sweep of the elimination rounds by any team is highly improbable. All teams will probably lose a few games, and this will lead to some crowding leading to the playoffs.
With Lady Spikers having a limited number of veterans, we can expect that Ramil will need to turn to his bench at times. It’s part of the development and exposure for new players, and it could lead to sometimes erratic play and occasional losses, but that’s the price to pay for gaining experience.
Recall that the Green Archers had an up-and-down eliminations, ending up in a win-or-go-home situation in their last elimination round game against Ateneo, and once they passed that test, had to beat NU twice. We might see some of that, as some necessary experimentation might lead to lost games. But as the Archers proved that those losses were key to the learning process, the Lady Spikers will need to walk down the same path. Sometimes losing is the key to winning later, because you often earn more from failure that you do from success.
So while we can reasonably expect that the Lady Spikers will make the playoffs, nothing else is assured. And that’s what makes this upcoming season so interesting.
Let’s watch the games live and soak in the excitement and atmosphere (and noise!) you can’t find anywhere else. It happens for only a few weeks every year, so take this opportunity. Just like the Lady Spikers will take advantage – they trained for a year for this chance, and they won’t waste it.
ANIMO!
Photo courtesy of UAAP Media
