Manila, Philippines - Like a roaring thunder, the Philippine Habagat Team took the country and the world by storm when it hit a striking performance during the Pony Baseball Asia-Pacific regional qualifying tournament in Korea last year.
What’s the secret to their success? A Spartan lifestyle — and enough sleep!
The team was formed by former baseball player Mike Ochosa, who was asked by Philippine Pony Baseball League president Boy Tingzon last year to form and coach a team of 11- to 12-year-old kids to play for flag and country under the 2011 Pony Baseball League. “So I took the challenge,” he recalls. “I had tryouts for interested kids to join the team.”He finally recruited a dozen of young “average” yet “trainable” young men, a team called the “Philippine Habagat 2011.” Considering they only had five months to train, they finished fifth in the regional competition last year, already an impressive feat for a newbie. Little did they know that this success would soon make them a household name. Because the Habagat team performed beyond expectations, coach Mike decided to continue the program. In January this year, the spinoff Philippine Habagat 2012 team was formed, which includes Martin Tan, Miguel Ochosa, Nicolo Batungbacal, Naoki Akita, Tomoki Kurita, Vince Flores, Carlos Sandoval, Jaz Monzones, Nicolas Lozano, Gab Dela Cruz, Fausto Eizmendi, and Jaime Dungo.
“These kids will surprise everyone,” says coach Mike of the team that will compete in the upcoming 2012 Pony Baseball Asia-Pacific qualifying tournament in Nanjing, China, July 15 to 19. He likewise reiterates that the new team is out to prove that the achievement of the original group was not a fluke. So what makes the Philippine Habagat 2012 a winning team? Coach Mike says it is because of their commitment to win to bring glory and honor to the country. “It is the desire of the boys that unlocks the value of our training system, the level of expectation from being a Habagat, and that belief builds the burning need to get better,” he explains.He also notes the intensive training program he specifically designed for them to achieve peak performance. The team strictly follows a lifestyle filled with strength and endurance building, while exercise and diet go hand in hand with their daily routine, and also enough sleep.Deep sleep, according to studies, helps improve athletic performance. While sleeping, growth hormones are released and stimulate muscle growth and repair, bone building and fat burning, and aid athletes to recover after an exhaustive performance.
Because sleep is also important for learning a new skill, this phase, therefore, is so critical for the team. Hence, they find it necessary to sleep for seven to eight hours or at most nine to 10 hours daily.
“The quantity and quality of sleep really have a large impact on sports performance,” notes the Philippine Habagat 2012 coach.But deep sleep also depends on other factors — low light, cool temperatures, controlled background noise, and comfortable bedding. Uratex understands the impact sleep has on performance and results so it offers an extensive line of mattresses to choose from that addresses the needs of athletes.Just like the winning youth baseball team, Uratex has mattress products that are breathable for a cooler sleep, thus, helping reduce turning and tossing and promote faster recovery of the athletes. With no pressure points, athletes who will use Uratex mattresses won’t suffer from neck and back problems as they are well supported. As a result, they are assured of a good rest, improved blood circulation, correctly supported spine in every position, higher energy levels, and less stiffness in the morning.”
Uratex’s expertise in providing quality products that promote good sleep best matches our athletes’ sterling performance,” stresses coach Mike. Part of the RGC Foam Group, Uratex is the largest manufacturer of commercial and automotive polyurethane foam products in the country. Through world-class manufacturing practices and a strong culture of excellence, the Group has become the most dominant player in the local foam industry and one of the leading foam-makers in Southeast Asia. A believer of the Habagat team, Uratex supports them in their quest for glory at the forthcoming 2012 Pony Baseball Asia-Pacific qualifying tournament.