AN integral part of the boxing team’s medal haul in the Olympics, Marcus Jarwin Manalo has apparently been helpful as well in the bronze medal finish of the national men’s and women’s bowling team in the IBF Super World Championship recently.
Marcus Jarwin Manalo: medalist whisperer
Philippine Bowling Federation secretary general Bong Coo said the current crop of the national bowling team has accepted the need for mental training being supplied by Manalo, who is also the boxing team’s psychologist for some time now.
Aside from the coaching staff led by Don Abnett, Manalo has also been largely credited for the silver medals of Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam, and the bronze of Eumir Marcial during the Tokyo Olympics.
“Nagpapasalamat din kami na open sila sa mental conditioning,” said Coo. “Hindi lahat naniniwala sa relaxation and sa psychologist. But this team, they have been exposed to it for the past years.”
“I think it also helped,” Coo said.
Coo is referring to the recent success of the national bowling team when the men’s and women’s squad captured the bronze medal despite limited preparation due to the closure of bowling lanes when restrictions were heightened during the pandemic.
It was the bowling team’s first medal in the worlds since Biboy Rivera, now one of the coaches of the national squad, captured a gold in the World Tenpin Bowling Championship in 2006.
Rachelle Leon, one of the members of the women’s team, attested to the contributions of Manalo in the preparation.
“Very helpful kasi tinuruan nya kami to just control the controllables,” said Leon. “Isa ‘yun sa lagi mong iniisip na we can only control kung ano ang kaya naming i-control. ‘Yung scores ng kalaban, wala na sa control namin ‘yun. The only thing you can do is if nag-strike ang kalaban, mag-strike ka din. Nasa sayo talaga ‘yun at wala sa kanila.”
“Another thing is how to calm ourselves given mga pressure situation. Isang malaking tulong talaga na open kami doon sa bagay na ganun para at least, hindi kami ganun ka-prepared sa practice on the lanes, at least navivisualize namin sya or nagagawa naming on our mind kahit nasa bahay,” said Leon.
Coo said the mental game is one of the aspects of the sport that has changed over the years, a far cry from their heyday during the 1970s and the 1980s.
“Ang labanan talaga ngayon ay strike. Kapag hindi ka naka-strike, medyo tagilid. Ang adjustment, dapat mabilis, playing conditions mabilis magbago. Kailangan magpalit ka ng bola. Nung panahon namin, dalawa lang bola namin, okay na, kami ang nag-aadjust. Your skill set ang nag-aadjust. Ngayon, hindi eh. Dapat ang coach mabilis, dapat alam nila agad ang sasabihin sa players,” said Coo.
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