Farm Fresh coach Alessandro Lodi. PVL Media Bureau
CAVITE — Farm Fresh's Italian mentor Alessandro Lodi likes his players to "suffer in the game."
Make no mistake, it wasn't meant to make the Foxies get hurt — but it was for them to grow from the error and turn these into lessons.
Former PVL Best Opposite Spiker Trisha Tubu shared this as the Foxies entered the PVL on Tour quarterfinals at the expense of Capital1, 25-20, 25-15, 25-21, in the knockout round on Saturday at the Dasmarinas Arena in Cavite.
The Foxies are now under a fourth coach in Lodi, who succeeded interim coach Benson Bocboc. They were previously under the guidance of Japanese coach Shota Sato and Jerry Yee.
READ: PVL on Tour: Farm Fresh ousts Capital1, picks up QF berth
They have their different approaches to the game and handling a team, but this was what stood out for Tubu — do not be afraid to commit faults.
"Gusto niya [Lodi] mag-grow kami, manalo o matalo... mas gusto niyang mas nahihirapan kami sa game kasi 'yun nga, tulad ng sabi ko kanina, lagi sinasabi ni coach sa 'min na 'the more na may problem, i-embrace niyo 'yon,'" said Tubu.
"'Yun 'yung way para mag-grow kayo, mag-grow 'yung team. 'Wag niyo tatakasan," added Tubu, relaying Lodi's reminder to them.
But allowing the Foxies to commit faults—may it be costly or not—is not possible with Lodi's trust in them, said Tubu.
"Sa sobrang dami naming naging coach, may kaniya-kaniya silang input sa 'min. 'Di sila pare-parehas ng style, pero 'yung bawat natututunan namin sa kanila, talagang nagagamit namin lahat," she said.
"Itong kay coach Lodi naman, talagang ngayon, ramdam namin 'yung trust niya sa 'min na 'di kami takot magkamali. Kasi before, nakakatakot magkamali, e. Kasi isang error mo lang, isang puntos 'yung katumbas. Ngayon, ang sarap lang sa feeling na siya magre-recommend, pero 'yung tiwala niya sa 'yo, buong-buo."
Next up for the Foxies is Creamline, the league's winningest team. But according to Tubu, it doesn't matter because they prepare for all the teams just the same.
"Every game namin kahit sino kalaban namin, same 'yung prep namin. 'Di namin tinitingnan kung malakas 'yung kalaban namin."