After over two years of online training, MGCNLCA’s football varsity finally returns to face-to-face training.
“In general, face-to-face is just so much better [than online training]. The coaches can better see what all the players are doing and through that manage much better. We can make contact with our teammates which just makes practice more physical and a lot more enjoyable. We don't need to worry about internet connection anymore and we can practice better as a team cause we are actually present around each other. But with COVID around, to me it's still a bother when we need to wear [a] mask especially since I have asthma, it makes breathing really hard,” says varsity captain Lucas Tan. “But also I am insanely grateful that we can train face to face again so just coming back to face-to-face is a big highlight for me,” he added.
The football varsity trains every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm on weekdays and from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Saturdays. They currently practice in the school’s basketball court–which players note isn’t ideal for training–but it is what they have for now as the team is still trying to get a spot on a soccer field.
Face-to-face football training often starts off with ball control, with exercises like juggling, and other ball control techniques. They would then do drills that involve a lot of movement, such as running with the ball, passing, or sometimes just straight out sprinting. And then, after they’ve completed all of their drills for the day, the varsity always plays a scrimmage where they practice what they’ve learned. Their training always finishes off with a cooldown and a talk with the team’s coaches.
As the football varsity just came from two years of online training, their coach noted that they are not as prepared as they should be for upcoming competitions. So as a result, the training hours of the varsity have been extended and new exercises have been added to their training, aiming to improve the team’s physical fitness and mechanical skill.
When asked what advice he would give to his teammates for the upcoming school year, Tan replied, “I would tell them that with face-to-face training will also come challenges so they'll really need to be prepared. Being a student-athlete isn't easy and they will always need to remember that since they chose to join, they'll have to be responsible and hard working both as an athlete and student while also finding a way to balance both and of course not forget [sic] that through all of it God is always by their side.”
Despite the many challenges that the pandemic has brought, MGCNLCA’s football varsity still managed to push through and keep on going; which we can all agree is truly commendable.
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