Return of the Champions: Inside the Lady Booters’ Season 85 Preparations

After three years of absence from the UAAP playing field, the De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Booters, three-peat defending champions in the Women’s Football division, are looking to be stronger than ever.

In many ways, the pandemic was a low point for many UAAP sports, dampening spirits and weakening connections among teams—but not for the Lady Booters.

The bond of their team is strong as is evident, as they huddled around their team captain, Bea Delos Reyes, and their co-captain, Alisha Del Ocampo, as this interview took place. Fond banter echoed through the background as the two captains profusely apologized that they were amidst a team meal—but their humility and authenticity echoed precisely why their team had been successful for this long.

Through every adversity the team may have faced before they could return to the field, their communication, camaraderie, and love for football tided them over. Clearly, this team is home to the Lady Booters, and that is precisely what makes them champions on and off the court.

Anticipation and preparation

“I miss the thrill of competing with other teams, especially when the drum hits,” Delos Reyes remarked on what she missed the most about competing in the UAAP, “Especially the Animo pride, representing your school in front of a big crowd.”

The team’s pre-season approach was a bit different from other UAAP teams, as they were not able to participate in pre-season tournaments. However, they also believe that they may utilize this as an advantage because the other teams have not seen what they are capable of offering yet.

“It’s what [she] has said about Animo pride.” Del Ocampo shared about what she was looking forward to in the season, “And of course, we want to continue that legacy continuum [through the] Championship.”

When they were asked about regimens and team building during the pandemic, the two had one answer; communication.

“For me personally, one thing that kept us [going] through [it] was communication. Like we made sure that we [would] check on each other. Especially now, we’re all going through different challenges. So I think one of the ways through checking, like making sure that we see each other’s weaknesses and try to develop them through training also.” The two captains agreed.

Beyond conditioning, Zoom calls, consultations with coaches, and eventual in-person training schedules, the Lady Booters emphasized the role of supporting one another beyond just set regimens.

Looking Forward

Despite the many years that have elapsed, the team is adamant that they have stayed the same at their core, aside from a few faces changing and improvements in the team.

“We’re more compact—the relationship is better, stronger.” Del Ocampo remarked.

The two captains also explained the relationship between the rookies and the veterans in the team, stating that they are able to support one another and draw strength from each other. A piece of advice the two gave was to keep asking for advice from other teammates and to keep imparting feedback to one another.

In fact, Del Ocampo is in her last playing year in the team, despite being given the option to not return. Furthermore, she recalled how special the team was, especially experiencing all their championships together.

Delos Reyes also shared her sentiments about being appointed a captain to the team and what it meant to her, saying that “For me personally, it’s been a roller rollercoaster ride because I’ve been one of the youngest to be appointed in this position. So, I think the only advice I can give is that always ask for advice. You have to trust your teammates to help you throughout all the responsibilities and obligations as a captain, it’s difficult to do [it] all alone.”

Keeping it in La Salle

The Lady Booters are aiming high with their goals set upwards — defending their three-peat and winning the championship once again.

The captains believed that a big advantage they had over the other teams was how every player knew their role, and evolved into utility players over the course of their training.

Moreover, when asked what their goals were, they stated two things that were most important to them: continuously motivating their teammates and keeping the crown in Taft.

When asked if they felt any pressure going into the season, Del Ocampo remarked, “It’s a pressure because a lot are like expecting a lot from us, especially coming off from championship last two seasons and last season in 81. So yeah, but then we’re taking this pressure in a good way. Like it’s a positive kind of privilege to be in this position and to keep playing for La Salle and representing the school in all the ways we can.”

When asked about what word they would choose to describe their team, the Delos Reyes and and Del Ocampo answered two different yet impactful answers: “Diverse,” and “Puso.”