EVERYONE knows Yeng Guiao’s trademark tough love brings the best out of his players, turning diamonds in the rough into certified gems after getting timely earfuls from the fiery mentor.
But long before getting scolded and playing their first minute under the Rain or Shine coach, they have already passed their first test.
Unknown to many, there has been a longstanding gentleman’s agreement between Guiao and his players about the great possibility of getting cursed while playing for him.
“Mayroon na kaming prearranged na kasunduan,” Guiao bared on the Locked Down podcast on Sports Beat PH.
“Lahat ng pumapasok sa team, rookie pa lang sila, pagka-pirma nila, tatanungin ko na sila: ‘Kaya mo ba? Ito yung mangyayari sa future.”
“Ever since, every player, tanungin mo yung mga nakaraang player namin na pag ikaw ba nasigawan, pag ikaw ba napagalitan, ikaw ay namura sa harap ng maraming tao, narinig ng kaibigan o pamilya mo, magtatampo ka ba? Ano ang reaction mo? Will you take that against me as your coach?’” he added.
“Kasi hindi yun intention ko, sabihin ko sa kanila,” he continued. “‘Gusto ko lang magising yung isip mo. Gusto kong mag-marka sa’yo yung mga leksyon na pinanggalingan nung emosyon na yun. But really, the intention is to make you better.’”
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Guiao, a seven-time PBA champion coach who’s in his 33rd year in the industry, feels his prearranged warning not only softens the blow on his players, but also enables them to respond quicker – therefore hastening their growth.
“Pagka-na-internalize ng player yun, pag pinapagalitan mo siya, hindi niya naiisip na, ‘coach is putting me down.’ Or the coach is against me,” Guiao said.
“Ang naiisip niya, ito na yung pinag-usapan namin. Gusto lang ni coach na gumaling ako, magtanda ako. Gusto lang ni coach na mapabuti pa yung career ko, so alam nila yun.”
“Kaya yung mga hindi nakakaalam nun, hindi mo talaga maiiwasan yung bashers, yung mga negative na mga tao, ang ano nila, ‘Ang lupit ni coach. Ang sama naman ni coach. Parang napaka-disrespectful naman.’ Hindi nila alam, there is an internal arrangement that it is not disrespect. It is not putting the player down,” he added.
Different situation, different approach
But Guiao further explained there’s a time and a place to scold his players.
“Pag nasa practice kami, I put the message in a different way. Hindi ko sila kailangan pagalitan,” the Kapampangan coach said. “Kakausapin mo lang ng maayos, because of the specific situation.”
“Pero pag sa game, pag nagkamali ang player, may importante kang pinagbilin, hindi niya na-ano, ang hirap naman na, ‘Pwede ba, pakiusap lang, wag mo naman ulitin yun.’ It’s not appropriate for the situation,” he added.
In the heat of the battle amid a boisterous crowd, Guiao underlined the need to raise his voice.
“Pag nangyari yun sa game, pwede mong sabihing, ‘Ipasa mo, Beau! Hindi mo nakita yun? Open siya!’ Magkaiba yung dynamics,” Guiao said.
“Kasi hindi mo pwede sa game sabihin mo na, ‘Beau naman, libre yung teammate mo. Hindi mo naman nakita.’ ‘di ba?” he added in a soft voice.
“So yun yung context. Importante yung context eh. Kailangan lang nila maintindihan yun.”
It’s a kind of tough love the players are even yearning for.
“Kung yung player ang tatanungin mo, pag hindi sila nasisigawan, nami-miss nila yan,” Guiao said. “Tsaka nag-iisip na sila na, ‘Importante pa ba ako kay coach? Mukhang hindi ako napapansin ni coach ah?’”
“Mas nagmamarka talaga pagka-nabo-boljak sila. Pag hindi mo na-boljak, parang ang isip nila, ‘Okay lang kay coach? Hindi nagalit?’ so kailangan mong boljakin talaga para mas mabilis yung maturity nila,” he added with a smile.
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