The UST Tiger Fencers have made developing confidence a top priority this season as they strive for gold, one of their coaches said.
According to UST saber coach Donnie Navarro, the Tiger Fencers’ lack of confidence prevented them from achieving the success they were capable of last season.
“Last season, maganda naman ‘yong performance namin, pero I think may kulang pa talaga,” Navarro told the Varsitarian. “Medyo lacking pa sa kompiyansa sa sarili nila ‘yong mga bata e, parang nagugulat pa sila na kaya nila. Kailangan pang i-work on ‘yong confidence.”
The UST Tiger Fencers and Lady Fencers bagged silver medals in their respective divisions in the previous season of the UAAP fencing tournament.
The men’s team finished Season 86 with a 2-0-2 gold-silver-bronze medal haul, while the women’s team had a 1-2-3 medal haul.
Navarro said that to boost confidence, the team engaged in off-season tournaments to provide players with exposure.
In February, Janna Catantan, a bronze medalist at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, won a gold medal for UST at the Philippine Fencing Association (PFA) Senior Fencing Championships.
“Every competition na sinasalihan ko, and namin, as a team, never ko talagang na-feel na satisfied na ako sa performance namin,” Catantan said. “I believe na we can still do better, mas may ibubuga pa talaga kami.”
Catantan and the rest of the Tiger Fencers are optimistic about the upcoming UAAP season, as the team remains intact.
“Never naman po kasi akong nag-doubt sa team namin. Every season, nandoon ‘yong feeling ko na kayang-kaya naming mag-champion since lahat kami binibigay naman ‘yong best namin,” Catantan said.
The UAAP Season 86 fencing tournaments will run from March 14 to 17 at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
