Alas Pilipinas to stay patient in chase of glory

MANILA, Philippines — Success takes time.

This was the reminder of Alas Pilipinas team captain Julia de Guzman after the team settled for the silver medal on a painful 25-15, 25-17, 25-14 beating at the hands of Vietnam in Saturday’s AVC Nations Cup final at the Dong Anh Arena in Hanoi.

“It takes time and loads of patience to build a culture that focuses more on the journey and growth over immediate results,” said the Nationals’ star setter. “Where other people only see wins or losses, achievements or failures, perfection or mistakes, we see all of it as necessary parts of the process of becoming a better team.

“This is why we try to keep the same players, and also add more to the pool,” she added.

The stinging defeat didn’t actually tell the whole story. In fact, just being in the championship match and snaring the silver was a feat in itself as it was the country’s best finish in the sport in the Asian level, eclipsing the bronze copped in last year’s edition of the same meet at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

And for De Guzman and the Filipinas, the silver shone as bright as Vietnam’s gold.

“When we make the mistake of putting all the weight on a ‘game win’ or ‘historic feat’ to count a day or tournament as successful, it’s easy to be blind to the progress, small wins and experience that was actually achieved,” she said.

“But when we truly live in the moment and give full respect to the process, we learn the most and the results will eventually follow.”

After the Hanoi tilt, there will be no rest for the weary Alas side as it shifts its focus on its next tournament ahead – the VTV Cup slated June 28 to July 5 in Vinh Phuc also in Vietnam.