Alas team setter Julia de Guzman: Losses, failures are necessary parts of the process of becoming a better team

This was the reminder of Alas Pilipinas team captain Julia “Jia” de Guzman after the team settled for the silver medal after absorbing a painful 25-15, 25-17, 25-14 beating at the hands of the menacing Vietnam in Saturday’s AVC Nations Cup finals 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 lopsided finals defeat didn’t actually tell the whole story.

In fact, just being in the finals and snaring that silver, was a feat in itself as it was the country’s best finish in the sport in the Asian level, eclipsing the bronze the country copped in last year’s edition of this same meet at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

And for Ms. De Guzman and the Filipinas, that 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.

There, the Nationals will have a chance to learn and settle an old score with their recent tormentors, the Vietnamese as they are bracketed together in Pool A alongside China’s Sichuan Wuliangchun and Australia.

“Step by step, Philippines. On to the next,” said Ms. De Guzman. — Joey Villar