ONE YEAR after a dismal 4-10 win-loss record in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 81 Table Tennis Tournament, the Ateneo Women’s Table Tennis Team (AWTTT) came back stronger in Season 82 with a surprising first runner-up finish. Despite fielding numerous rookies and losing key veterans, the AWTTT captivated the UAAP with an 11-4 win-loss record to surpass all expectations and triumph over numerous setbacks.

Heartbreaking lessons

Prior to bagging the silver medal in Season 82, the AWTTT struggled to find their footing as a team. Despite boasting a veteran-laden lineup coupled with talented rookies, the AWTTT’s poor team chemistry and a couple of personal complications from key players doomed them to a disappointing sixth-place finish in Season 81.

According to Junior Ana Calvo, unregulated expectations and poor communication among the coaches, veterans, and rookies contributed to the Blue and White’s bleak performance in the previous season. With the team’s strong lineup, the coaching staff believed the team’s output would improve, and this eventually led to a great amount of pressure affecting the players’ performances.

“Sinasabi nila noong time na ‘Kumpleto na kayo. Maraming players, mas mataas na yung chance na manalo kayo.’ Yung pressure na iyon hindi namin kinaya (People were saying that since we were a complete team, we had a bigger chance of winning. But we weren’t able to overcome that pressure),” Calvo shared.

Coupled with the pressure to win, the demands of being a student-athlete also weighed heavily on the AWTTT’s shoulders, as balancing academics and training altogether was overwhelmingly challenging. In particular, the early morning training schedule left the players exhausted throughout their academic day with minimal flexibility in their schedules.

“Noong Season 81, siguro yung problems namin usually yung training nang madaling araw. Ang hirap kasi syempre student-athlete ka, minsan hindi mo alam kung paano mo imamanage yung priorities mo. Studies palang ang bigat na (In Season 81, a big problem was the early morning training. It was hard because as student-athletes, we didn’t know which activities to prioritize anymore. Studying in itself is already hard),” Calvo continued.

As a result, the team was extremely burnt out, with some players slowly drifting apart from their commitment to the sport. The AWTTT also saw a rise in players’ absences during training due to mental exhaustion. “Noong Season 81, hindi talaga kami ganoon ka sabay-sabay magtraining. May stage na ganoon, sobrang burnt out yung players (In Season 81, we didn’t train at the same time. There was a stage like that where the players were burnt out),” shared Season 83 Team Captain Sharmae Ong.

Because of the draining preparation and growing lack of commitment from the players, the team found themselves close to the bottom of the standings in UAAP Season 81. In an effort to right the ship, the AWTTT prepared for the next season with a renewed sense of motivation to come out as the top seed.

One of the factors that needed to be developed was each player’s self-confidence, especially among the younger players. After analyzing her poor Season 81 performance, Calvo realized that a player’s full potential is limited by the confidence in their skill. She stated that self-assurance is key to excellence. “Kasi unang-una, hindi ko malalabas yung galing ko kung wala akong belief sa sarili ko (Because first of all, I won’t be able to showcase my talent if I don’t believe in myself),” she said.

Aside from this, the AWTTT realized the importance of training together as a complete unit. This helped improve their camaraderie on the court, as each player was able to contribute to the team’s growth. “Kahit na individual sport yung table tennis, kailangan niyo mag-train as a team in order to grow as a team (Even though table tennis is an individual sport, we still have to train as a team to grow as a team),” Ong said.

With newborn solidarity and confidence, the Lady Eagles addressed their shortcomings and moved towards redemption, using these experiences as fuel for their eventual rise to title contention.

Polishing paddles

Determined to make a comeback in Season 82, the AWTTT committed themselves to an improved training program. Aside from exhibiting more discipline to train together and improve team rapport, the AWTTT sharpened their skills and confidence by playing tune-up games against various teams such as Lyceum of the Philippines University and Emilio Aguinaldo College.

On top of playing in more local tune up games, the most notable change to their preparation was participating in the 2019 Double Fish Cup tournament held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Due to the team’s budget constraints, only Ann Borbon, Calvo, and sister Hellari participated in the tournament. However, the Lady Eagles compensated for their small roster with their stellar play as each of them reached the quarterfinals for their respective divisions.

Armed with the experience they gained in the international tournament, Borbon, Calvo, and Hellari were able to bring back newfound techniques and confidence that greatly benefitted the team as a whole. “Mas mabilis yung balls nila compared dito. So na-realize ko na kailangan din namin ma-improve yung footwork namin and syempre yung play namin sa table mismo (The balls there were faster compared to the ones here. So I realized that our footwork needed improvement, and of course our play at the table),” Borbon said.

On the other hand, Calvo said that competing against high level players boosted the team’s confidence going into their redemption run for the UAAP. “Big deal talaga yung sa Malaysia kasi magagaling yung mga kalaban namin tapos nakaka-boost pa ng confidence (Malaysia was really a big deal because our competitors were highly skilled, so it boosted our confidence.),” stated Calvo.

With the invaluable experience under their belts, the enlightened Lady Eagles flew home to the Philippines and imparted these learnings with the rest of the AWTTT, allowing each of their teammates to improve. Overall, the AWTTT’s preparations improved the team’s caliber—preparing them to fly higher than ever.

Smashing expectations

A few weeks into their training and preparations, it seemed as if everything was going smoothly for the AWTTT. However, the team was faced with a sudden setback after  Season 82 Team Captain Hellari was sidelined with measles one day before Season 82’s kickoff. Although unfortunate, the news sparked a determination within the team to play well and make their captain proud.

With this mentality at heart, veterans Calvo, Kath Bulaqueña, Geque Carado, and Nadine Uy exerted their veteran leadership in the team, guiding their younger teammates throughout the tournament. Meanwhile, rookies Borbon and Kaela Aguilar  bolstered the roster with excellent performances. Aguilar, who was recognized as the Season 82 Rookie of the Year, took first-match responsibilities for the majority of the tournament. On the other hand, Borbon proved to be a key contributor in the team’s successful run, boasting an impressive 12-3 win-loss record.

Entering day four of the competition, the AWTTT cruised to a remarkable 5-1 win-loss record as Hellari came back on board. Through their improved team chemistry and mentality, the Lady Eagles continued their excellent play and reached the finals and ultimately notching the silver medal—the team’s highest finish in UAAP table tennis history. Despite not bagging the coveted championship, the Lady Eagles came out Season 82 as worthy title contenders.

While the AWTTT exhibited a stellar performance, Ong saw more than just an improvement in each player’s individual skills—she witnessed a unique level of growth and maturity in the team’s mentality and attitude. “Nakita ko talaga na parang nagmature talaga sila, na talagang mas naging committed sila [sa team] (I really noticed how much they matured and how committed [to the team] they became),” Ong shared.

Building legacies

Even after their silver medal finish, the Lady Eagles remain hungry for more, aiming to finally break their championship dry spell next season. While the COVID-19 pandemic brings uncertainty for Season 83, the AWTTT continues to conduct online training sessions with the goal of improving their physical strength and stability through core and leg workouts. With a promising future ahead, the AWTTT is determined to reach their ceiling, one that sees the team not as underdogs surpassing expectations, but as a dominating force in the UAAP table tennis scene.