EYEING CENTENNIAL GOLD, the San Beda Red Booters are gearing to defend their title as they enter Season 100 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tomorrow, March 22.
Since claiming the championship in Season 99, the team faced various challenges such as the absence of key players and a limited number of pre-season games.
Among those who left was Season 99 best goalkeeper Jhon Betanio, who turned professional. Another key player, Yuan Reña, is unable to play due to academic reasons.
“’Yung dalawang player na ‘yun, sila yung pinaka-key nung campaign nung Season 99, especially nung crucial stretches nung competition,” said Coach Pedimonte, highlighting their absence being felt throughout their pre-season games.
Initially, the team had joined in different preseason leagues. First of these was the Men’s Open which involved different Football Clubs, but this was eventually cut short due to challenges in securing a venue for the games.
The team had also opted to participate in the Division 2 league, a competition also participated in by the Red Booter’s rookies and the junior team. However, this was also stopped due to calendar shifts in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).
As a recourse, the team has been relying on pre-season tune-up games to prepare. “We tried to look for friendlies, lahat ng way na pwede naming magawa para makahanap kami ng games,” Pedimonte added.
Despite these struggles, the head coach remains “optimistic” about the team’s potential, noting that while the rookies are still adjusting, they have shown great effort, assuring that the team “will fight and give a good game.”
“Kahit hindi pa sila ka-polished katulad nung mga nawala, ang maganda [ay] very hardworking talaga sila,” he attested.
For Team Captain Eldwin Escosora, his final NCAA season comes with the responsibility of leading a team filled with new faces.
“Kailangan ko pa mag-step up sa pag-lead ng team especially kasi meron kaming mga rookie,” he said.
Entering his final NCAA season, Escosora seeks to set an example for the younger players, noting that his leadership must not manifest inside the field but also outside.
“Gusto ko lang na makita nila sakin na yung pagiging captain is ‘di lang sa loob ng field, but about rin siya sa labas,” he highlighted. Reflecting upon their past success, the team does not consider the pressure from being last season’s champion to be a burden, but as something to further strengthen the players.
“We wanted to live with it kasi dun kami titibay eh, kung papaano namin mahahandle ‘yung pressure,” said Head Coach Pedimonte.
He further asserted their winning mentality of improving with every game, saying “[We’re] not looking ahead dun sa championship, we want to strengthen the players game by game.”
With the pressure of being defending champions, Pedimonte acknowledged that every team will be aiming to dethrone them. However, he remains confident in the Red Booters’ ability to rise to the challenge.
“We work very hard in preparation. We put value. Ang masasabi ko talaga is this team will do their best to defend the crown,“ he affirmed.
(With Maria Jamille Perolina)