The UST Lady Booters are entering the UAAP Season 86 women’s football tournament with their training hampered by the ongoing reconstruction of the UST Open Field.
UST head coach Aging Rubio said that the rehabilitation of the field, which commenced at the beginning of the academic year, posed a challenge in preparing for this season.
The team had to train in a futsal area at the Quadricentennial Pavilion Practice Gym, leading to limited exposure to a standard-sized football field.
“Ang naging problem lang namin is ‘yung pag-create ng tactical play because we don’t have the field,” she told the Varsitarian. “Hindi namin talaga ma-run masyado ‘yung plays namin kasi portion lang ng field ‘yung magagamit, and at the same time, rough and uneven ‘yung field, so nakakatakot mag-demand ng 100 percent during training.”
To acclimate the team to a standard-sized field, the Lady Booters participated in a 10-day boot camp in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, where they had practices with men’s football teams. Rubio, a player of UST’s 2008 champion team, said their experience in the bootcamp would prepare them for the physicality and speed of UAAP play.
“Malaking tulong siya, kasi, aside sa skillful and organized ‘yung teams doon, mabilis sila so kami naman, napu-push kami na sabayan ‘yung bilis nila and physicality ng lalaki,” she said.
During the preseason, UST participated in the PFF Women’s League, where it finished in eighth place with a 2-6-1 win-loss-draw record. The Lady Booters are also part of the ongoing First U-Mak Azzurri Women’s Football Invitational Tournament, where they are currently undefeated in second place.
Rubio said the primary goal in participating in preseason leagues was to monitor the Lady Booters’ skills.
“Nakikita natin ‘yung technical kung paano sila nag-improve, paano nila na-apply ‘yung training doon sa game nila,” she said. “So na-test talaga sila against other opponents or opposing teams.”
“Coming to the second invitational tournament, ngayon medyo gumanda na ‘yung performance nila; consistent na ‘yung touches nila, medyo makikita mong nandoon ‘yung quality ng touches.”
The Lady Booter will field three rookies this year: Rodjana Nemenzo, Jessa Quiman and Rica Gerona.
“Ang maganda lang sa rookies is ‘yung demand na hindi sila kailangan maghintay umabot ng second year or third year bago sila mag-perform nang maayos,” she said. “So far, UAAP ready naman na ‘yung rookies ngayon.”
The UST Lady Booters will open their UAAP Season 86 women’s football campaign against the UP Fighting Maroons on Feb. 24, Saturday, 6:30 p.m. at the UP Diliman Football Pitch. with reports from Jose Gabriel V. Ignacio
