By Joshua Kyle Beltran
As Lady Tamaraw Booter Tiffany Trinidad helped propel Far Eastern University (FEU) one step closer to its fifth consecutive title in University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 89, the green-and-gold midfielder recounted the team’s struggles and triumphs alike — even taking a stroll down memory lane to the time she got a haircut just to play in a boys’ football tournament.
Hailing from Negros Occidental, midfielder Trinidad recalled transitioning from lawn tennis to football as a child before eventually earning a spot on FEU’s roster.
Going to great lengths just to compete, among the 22-year-old’s fondest football memories was the time her father had her hair cut so she could join a boys’ tournament.
“Under-12 kasi ‘yun, tapos wala pang girls category, kaya pinagupitan ako ng [buhok] ng father ko, tapos sinali ako sa boys category noon… Hindi namin pinakita ‘yung certificate ko na girl ako… First runner-up lang kami dun (It was an under-12 tournament, and there was no girls category yet, so my father cut my hair and had me join the boys’ category. We didn’t show my certificate saying I was a girl. We were just first runner-up),” Trinidad delightedly narrated in a post-game interview of their Final Four win over Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) last November 6.
Three times the charm
After De La Salle University (DLSU) snapped FEU’s 38-game unbeaten run, including a 22-match winning streak in their final elimination game on October 28, the Morayta midfielder revealed how devastated the team felt after ending the momentum.
“Nung last game, sobrang lungkot namin. Nag-sacrifice rin ‘yung mga seniors namin dati para makuha ‘yung win streak, tapos gusto namin siya bawiin… para rin sa team, and sa win streak [five-peat] din namin (We were very sad after the last game. Our seniors sacrificed a lot to build the win streak, so we really want to redeem ourselves, for the team, and for the five-peat),” she shared.
Sure enough, the Lady Tamaraw Booters did not cry over spilled milk, as it was thanks to Trinidad’s first hat-trick of the season that FEU bounced back with a win over AdMU, advancing to the Finals for the sixth straight time.
The fourth-year midfielder also flashed a Tamaraw hand sign after each of her goals, describing the celebration as a symbol of pride and joy.
“First of all, proud ako na nagawa ko ‘yun sa sarili ko, at saka proud din ako na nagdala ako ng name ng FEU kaya ko ginawa ‘yung Tamaraw sign (I’m proud of myself for scoring the hat-trick, and I’m proud that I get to carry the University’s name, hence the pose),” she said.
As the green-and-gold squad now turns its attention to the Finals, Trinidad underscored the need to draw confidence from training, play with pride, and work as one.
“Mag-focus pa rin kami sa training namin, kasi sa training talaga kami kumukuha ng confidence namin. Dapat maging aware kami palagi, and sabi nga ni coach [Let Dimzon]: lagyan namin ng pride at saka pag-iisip din kung paano ilaro, kasi ‘yung football naman kasi, problem-solving siya, kaya need din namin ng teamwork (We need to focus during training because that’s where we get our confidence. We also need to stay aware, because just like coach Dimzon told us: play with pride, and think about how we play, because football is a problem-solving game, hence why we need teamwork),” the graduating midfielder expressed.
With no margin for error left, Trinidad and the Lady Tamaraw Booters are now taking the time to sharpen their minds as they prepare for their championship game against DLSU on Friday, November 13, at the Rizal Memorial Football Pitch in Manila City.
(Photo courtesy of the UAAP Media Team)