Friendly Mini-Competitions -- How the MGCNLCA Football Team Stays Motivated during the Pandemic

The MGCNLCA football team’s training routine has drastically changed ever since the pandemic started. Here is a glimpse of their “new normal” routine.

The clock ticks—it’s almost 6:00 in the evening. Players get their equipment ready (cones, football, etc.) and join the Zoom meeting. To kick-start the session, the coach calls a player to lead the opening prayer and then gives the go signal to start warming up.

Once the warm-ups are finished, the players follow a training routine given by their coach. The workout selection varies monthly but always consists of two parts. Dribbling, ball mastery, and juggling make up the first part, while HIIT workouts, cardio-endurance, fast-feet, stamina, and balancing complete the second part.

At the end of each month, a friendly mini-competition takes place, giving players something to look forward to. They compete against each other while doing drills, and failure to meet the quota would result in a punishment (10 pushups, one minute plank, etc.). By doing so, players are kept motivated while enjoying training with their fellow teammates and coaches.

To end the session, the assigned prayer leader gives the closing prayer.

With the shift from face-to-face to online training, the players had to adjust to the new normal. Having an unstable or slow wifi connection made it more difficult as players relied on Zoom for their training. Some lacked the space and equipment to do the drills, and as a result, they learned to make use of what they had and make the most out of it.

There are times when student-athletes experience disruptions in their training. Some have other activities or varsities that take place at the same time as training, while others need to catch up on school or have tasks they need to complete. There would be times when only three to four players attend the Zoom training, but training still pushes through despite the small number that are there.

“A captain must be a role model for his team. Being a role model is essential as the younger kids need someone to model after. As the team captain of the football team, I need to show myself doing the drills adequately. I have to put in the extra effort of doing more outside of training," said Gavrie Clemente when asked about his learning experience as a captain. Leading his fellow teammates through encouragement, he looks forward to playing football on the field and competing against other teams as soon as the pandemic ends.

Despite the limitations the pandemic brought, the MGCNL football team has looked for ways to stay motivated and keep the drive alive by continuing their training and having mini-competitions, even if it's just through a screen.

Caption:

The MGCNLCA football team’s training routine has drastically changed ever since the pandemic started. With the shift from face-to-face to online training, the players had to adjust to the new normal. Despite the limitations the pandemic brought, the MGCNL football team has looked for ways to stay motivated and keep the drive alive by continuing their training and having mini-competitions, even if it's just through a screen. Here is a glimpse of their “new normal” routine.