AFTER finishing at the bottom in the UAAP Season 85 swimming tournaments, the UST Tigersharks focused on unlearning their losing habits en route to their redemption bid in Season 86.
UST head coach Caezar Alcantara said the team worked on improving their positions, stroke forms and patterns, in an attempt to establish a new winning mentality within the team.
“Marami sila kailangan i-unlearn,” Alcantara told the Varsitarian. “Kasi muscle memory ang swimming e, once na natutunan mo dating-dati pa na ganito, tapos kailangan nang baguhin, napakahirap.”
UST’s title droughts in swimming span 11 straight years in the men’s division and 12 consecutive years in the women’s division.
The last time UST reigned in UAAP swimming was in Season 71 in the men’s division and Season 70 in the women’s division, while its notable golden double in the collegiate level was more than three decades ago in Season 52.
Alcantara believes that snapping UST’s title drought is possible with six new recruits.
“In terms of progress, compared with last year, kaya mag-podium ng women, while ‘yung men, hopefully. Pero kapag hindi, sure ‘yan next year,” he said.
Alcantara said the team emphasized self-improvement over concentrating on recruitment.
“Personal improvement muna mula sa kanila kasi stepping stone namin ito from the pandemic. Ngayon nagre-recover pa lang, hirap kasi maka-recover sa swimming,” Alcantara said.
The UAAP Season 86 swimming tournament will be from Nov. 23 to 26 at the Teofilo Yldefonso Swimming Pool in the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
Editor’s note: The lead of this article was updated at 11:10 a.m. on Nov. 23 to more accurately indicate the UST Tigersharks’ fourth-place finish in the UAAP Season 85 men’s and women’s swimming tournaments. The events were participated in by four schools, namely UST, DLSU, Ateneo and UP.
