LOSING is a rarity for 12-time UAAP women’s volleyball champions De La Salle Lady Spikers.
But in the times that they do fall flat, La Salle head coach Ramil de Jesus is one to use ‘tough love’ in preaching patience and perseverance to his wards through the years.
Lady Spikers alumna Dawn Macandili-Catindig shared to SPIN.ph a glimpse of the vibe inside the La Salle locker room once RDJ gives his post-loss pep talk back in her UAAP days.
READ: Ramil de Jesus opens up after La Salle season opens on losing note
“Si coach Ramil kasi, tough love eh. ‘Yung talo kasi, dalawang scenario siya: talo na maganda ‘yung laro, na sobrang magka-level ‘yung magkalaban at may talo na bad game lang talaga,” Macandili-Catindig said.
As evidenced by RDJ’s legacy of 300 career wins in 27 years, winning is second nature — and so is his level-headed and pragmatic response to losing.
“Depende na lang ‘yun pero si coach Ramil kasi, very objective siya," she said.
‘Yung talo na magaling din ‘yung kalaban, ida-dissect niya ‘yan and ipapakita sa players na kayang labanan at bawian (‘yung shortcomings) sa susunod na games," she continued.
"Very technical din ‘yung pag-digest sa games sa kung bakit natalo, ano ‘yung pwede pang i-improve sa next games.”
A rookie-laden side like this year’s Lady Spikers might exude nainexperience throughout UAAP Season 87.
Macandili-Catindig would know firsthand that there’s one key aspect of an RDJ team in which age isn’t necessarily a prerequisite: a winning character on the court.
“For me, kumpleto naman sila skills-wise, sa tao. Siguro character na lang, kung paano nila ilalaban (‘yung games) at kung paano sila gagalaw as a team.”
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