WITH NO blue-chip recruits this year, the UST Female Tigersharks will lean on two key returnees to improve on their fourth-place finish last year.
Thea Belen and Ryan Kaith Regidor are set to suit up anew for the swimming team after a one-year of hiatus to fill in the hole left by UAAP Season 77 bronze medalist Edlyn Son, who had exhausted her playing years.
Belen missed the last season due to an unexpected change in the lineup, in which she was relegated to team B from team A.
“Nagkaproblema sa office, sa pagpasa ng papers or sa pag-include sa kanya sa lineup pero nasa lineup siya (Belen) supposed to be. Wala na tayong nagawa kasi nakapagpasa na tayo ng UAAP lineup. Nu’ng nalaman namin na wala siya, nagulat din kami,” head coach Cyrus Alcantara told the Varsitarian.
Alcantara said Belen’s absence affected the Tigersharks’ campaign. She could have contributed to the team effort, particularly in the freestyle and butterfly events.
This season, Belen said she would make up for lost time by displaying leadership and proving she would still be one of the Tigersharks’ aces.
“Finalist naman ako nu’ng first year at kailangan kong mahigitan ‘yon. Ang goal ko ay makapuwesto para sa team,” Belen said.
Regidor’s year-long absence in the past season was due to her family’s plan to settle in the United States for good, but she returned to the country to finish her studies and to play for the team.
Now that her feet are back on UST soil, Regidor is confident that achieving podium finishes in the backstroke and freestyle events are within her reach.
“Posible naman makuha ang medal, kahit makapasok lang sa finals which is sabi naman nila coach ay may possibility, basta may dedication and determination lalo na sa training,” Regidor said.
However, Alcantara said success would depend on his players’ commitment and passion, following a rather weak recruiting class this year.
“From Davao may isa tayong nag-Palarong Pambansa, si Katrina Aguelo. She’s really not that strong pero workable,” Alcantara said.
Alcantara said recruitment was always a problem as top-caliber swimmers and aspiring collegiate student-athletes prefered “better and bigger” offers.
Aside from recruitment woes, the Tigersharks’ training took a minor blow due to the closure of the University pool starting last June 22 for a month-long renovation.
As a result, the Tigersharks transferred to the Amoranto Sports Complex in Quezon City and held training sessions from Tuesdays to Fridays. They trained off the pool on Mondays inside the campus.
“Ang problem kasi namin is ‘yung morning ang training. ‘Yung ibang pools kasi nag-ba-vacuum every morning kaya naghahanap pa rin kami ng puwedeng pag-training-an ng morning,” Alcantara said. Carlo A. Casingcasing
