IT was an unfortunate mid-training slip that ultimately led to an abrupt and ill-fated end to Adamson veteran Lorene Toring's UAAP career.
Newly-minted Lady Falcons head coach JP Yude, who'll be handling a women's volleyball side for the very first time, bared the unfortunate sequence in one of the team's first training sessions of 2024.
READ: ACL injury ends Adamson veteran Lorene Toring's UAAP career
"For me, hindi naman namin gusto ‘yung nangyari kasi nadulas lang siya sa training nu’ng nag-approach siya so ganun agad ‘yung nangyari," Yude said.
"Kumbaga may better plans si Lord para sa buhay niya so ‘yun na lang ‘yung tinitignan namin na malaking tulong siya for us pero wala na kaming magagawa du’n. Naghahanap kami ng paraan na mag-adjust nang wala siya," he added.
Moreover, Yude also revealed that Toring has successfully undergone surgery since the incident which took place last January 6 and was only made known to the public roughly a month later.
Test of mental fortitude
Difficult as the past month might have been — only to be eased by a morale-boosting Akari Cup title romp — the new Adamson mentor underlined how honing his young side's mental strength amid seemingly incessant changes is of utmost importance ahead of the new UAAP season.
"Medyo mataas naman na ‘yung morale ng mga bata. Nakikita ko naman na kahit nawala ‘yung ate nila na si (Lorene) Toring, pinapakita rin nila na kaya nila. Sabi ko nga siguro na sometimes, maglalaro rin tayo para rin sa kanya na maging motivation niya ‘yung mga kasama niya para magpagaling nang mas mabilis," Toring said.
"Kailangan na rin i-train ‘yung mind nila how to think and ‘yung perspectives nila dun sa mga nangyayari. Sabi ko nga sa kanila, kung iba ‘yung perspective sa mga nangyari, like ‘yung mga adjustments, ‘yung nangyari kay Toring, sabi ko kung magpapalugmok tayo doon na ‘ay wala na si ate Toring’ or what na ganito ganyan, kailangan you train your mind. Kung sino ‘yung nandyan, kailangan lang din natin trabahuin," he added.
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