August 15, 2024
by Kimberly Deaño
The new semester kicks off! With renewed focus and determination, varsity players of the Asian International School of Aeronautics and Technology have returned from the off-season! Another set of adjustments has been made in preparation for the upcoming competitions and new challenges, both on an individual and team level.
Basketball
We interviewed Janel Jaye Malalis and Levy Faelangca III, two basketball veterans, and Ezekiel Yndo Robles and Marc Adrianne Lozada, volleyball standouts, to tell their story of their off-season work, shaping their way to approach the new semester.
When asked about the changes they have made to their game during the break, Mr, Malalis shared the importance of maintaining his physical fitness through continuous training.
“Ang adjustment ko na ginawa ay ensayo lang sa court/gym at jogging para mapanatili ko ang physical fit para ready always sa mga laro. At mapaitupad ko ito sa paraan ng pag disiplina para maging consistent.”
“My adjustments were mainly focused on staying fit through gym sessions, court practice, and jogging to ensure I’m always ready for the games. I plan to implement this by staying disciplined and consistent in my efforts.”
For Mr. Levy Faelangca III, improving team weaknesses became a primary goal.
“We adjusted ourselves during the off-season by training hard and improving our weaknesses like shooting 3-point area and our defense as a team. We implement this semester by having coordination and team chemistry and boost each other as a team so that we can grow each day.”
Both Malalis and Faelangca recognize the importance of leadership in their respective roles as seasoned players. Malalis sees his experience as crucial in guiding the team:
“As a senior, and role ko na matulungan ko ang team sa paraan ng pagiging leader every game and practices, and step up bawat laro.”
“As a senior, my role is to help lead the team both in games and practices, stepping up whenever necessary. I want to bring leadership to the table every game.”
Faelangca also shared the same sentiment as seeing his role as both mentor and motivator for his teammates:
“I will play as hard as I can to support my team and guide as a senior in the varsity team to support them. I will cheer up and teach my teammates if they make a mistake so that we can be more confident in the game especially being a humble player because attitude comes first. All of us want to become a champion.”
Volleyball
In volleyball, Ezekiel Yndo Robles, a middle blocker, expressed his sentiments in strengthening his performance in terms of serving and receiving which are critical skills for volleyball.
“As a middle blocker, I am struggling with my serves and receiving since I do not usually play in back row plays. Pero I am still striving to be a better receiver and have a better serving to contribute to my team and stay in the court longer. Our training program contributes a lot to my improvement both on and off the court, this also includes my serving and receiving techniques. On days naman na walang volleyball training I usually go to the gym para nasa condition lage ang katawan.”
Marc Adrainne Lozada has highlighted how the team focuses on detailed drills to eliminate weaknesses:
“To enhance our serve and receive skills over the break, we’ve been focusing on detailed drills focusing on these areas especially receiving since it’s our weakness. For serving, we concentrated on consistency to avoid errors. In receiving, we emphasized footwork and proper positioning. Regular feedback after training sessions also helped us adjust and track progress which with this strengthening both our defensive and offensive capabilities.”
Team communication and unity are essential for both volleyball and basketball which are beyond individual skills. Robles noted that their team’s will to win is what unites it.
“I cannot think of any certain strategies we do but, one thing for sure is that we have the will to win our games this season. For that, I think this is the main core/reason why our bond on and off the court as a team is unquestionable.”
On the other hand, Lozada spoke about the importance of team meetings and off-court activities in building better connections not just in court, but as individuals.
“This semester, we want to focus on communication in and out of the court. Having regular team meetings to discuss tactics and encourage open, constructive feedback during practice. We’re also making an effort to build relationships by sharing meals, which helps us get to know each other better and strengthen our off-court bonds. Additionally, we’re working on clear and consistent in-game communication, using specific call-outs and signals to ensure everyone is on the same page, especially during the real matches.”
With the adjustment they made during the off-season and a focus on communication, both basketball and volleyball teams are aiming for success. Both teams are committed to improving, leading, and doing teamwork as the new season unfolds.