UNIVERSITY of the East coach Francis Vicente’s version of tough love has finally paid off after the perennial cellar-dweller finally won its first game in the UAAP Season 79 women’s volleyball tournament.
Vicente admitted he has been hard on his players particularly skipper Shaya Adorador during a stretch where the Lady Warriors keep putting up a fight only to fall short in the end.
It reached where he left the UE captainin tears.
“To be honest, nasermonan ko si Shaya sa previous games niya kaya pumatak ang luha sa kanyang mga mata,” said the veteran mentor and current national coach.
[See UE Lady Warriors break duck by beating Adamson in battle of bottom teams]
The fourth year opposite spiker finished with 21 points in a four-set loss to National University in their first game of the season but only averafed 7.2 points in their next five games.
Adorador, who admitted being disappointed on herself, made sure not to let her mentor down again bouncing back with 23 points, built on 20 kills, and 21 digs in the win over Adamson.
“May tampuhan kami ni coach Francis na nangyari pero ‘yun ang ginawa kong inspiration. At alam ko na gusto niya lang akong lumakas and umalis sa comfort zone ko na kaya ko pang lumakas,” she said.
Vicente said his way of teaching may be tough at times but he insisted that he wants his players to learn a valuable lesson.
“Tough love, you love them because you want them to improve but you have to be tough, kailangan maging firm ka na ito dapat ang mangyari sa buhay mo,” he said.