ATHLETES are known for their respective sports and their skills in playing. Thus, their talent didn’t develop overnight; they had to undergo performance training and discipline themselves, even with their diets. Bedan athletes Greg Macalindol (II-BSBA MM), Ernest Masinsin (II-BSED SCI), and Lanzy Borja (I-BSED ENG) share their tips and routines on how to improve their talents and balance their time without compromising academic success for aspiring student-athletes.

Enhancing Performance through Training

Macalindol is the libero of the Men’s Volleyball Team. In their routine, he prioritizes defense drills like serve-receive, hard ball-dig, and float-receive to maintain gameplay and deliver the ball in the right direction. Masinsin gives a similar answer wherein he focuses on ball control and mastery. 

Endurance training is common among athletes as it helps them increase performance and last longer in their respective sports (Burt, 2023). “When I was still competing for Triathlon, our trainings mostly contain[ed] endurance training as it is heavily needed for a sport like Triathlon,” Borja tells us about the multi-sport, which is swimming, biking, and running.

Effectively Fueling the Body with Food

Bananas and chocolates are some of the foods that Masinsin eats before his games as they boost stamina and adrenaline. Before training, he ate a fiber cereal bar, while his post-training meal contained carbohydrates like rice or pasta noodles. 

When in doubt, doing self-research about one’s diet is essential, just like Macalindol did, since their team doesn’t have a nutritionist. “I am the one who researched dietary foods that would maintain my healthy lifestyle by eating a small amount of quickly digestible carbohydrates,” he said. Fruit juices, bananas, and grapes help sustain his energy for strenuous training. 

Balance is the Key

Borja said that balancing academics and sports requires sacrifice since there are times when you have to prioritize one over the other. Time management helps student-athletes in making their journey easier. Doing school work after training and during vacant periods are ways that Macalindol meets his academic and sports expectations. 

Morning training is difficult for Masinsin since he attends classes right after despite feeling tired. Still, he believes that time management is the best way to balance the life of a student-athlete. “Sometimes, di nakakapag-training due to [the schedule] of my class, if ever na di ako nakapag-training, next training I should be doubling the effort,” he said.

Dear Future Athletes…

For Macalindol his advice for aspiring volleyball players is to have discipline. Efficient time management, collaborative teamwork, proper communication, and healthy body composition are all the disciplines every athlete should have. Masinsin advises young athletes to grind while still young and condition their bodies to 100% before every game. 

“My advice for young athletes is to not get high hopes every time you compete,” said Borja. Competitive performance takes time before one can excel, so he tells student-athletes to trust and listen to their coaches since they have more sports experience and knowledge.

No matter what sport a person may play, it requires much hard work. An athlete's training and strict diet for their academic work require a lot of sacrifice. Being a student-athlete may be difficult, but it will be worth it with strong passion and dedication.