AS HE IS nearing his return to the hard court, NLEX Road Warriors guard Kevin Alas said he is taking a wiser approach in dealing with his second Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury.
The former Colegio de San Juan de Letran Knights and Gilas Pilipinas guard made a comeback after his first ACL injury earlier this year but it was cut short; he sustained another ACL tear in his second game for the Road Warriors.
“I need to be wiser now because my career is at stake,” said the 27-year-old Alas during his recent appearance at the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum. “It’s really more of an emotional and psychological battle.”
Alas worked hard on his rehabilitation and returned to action nine months after. But five games into the elimination round of the Philippine Cup, he suffered the same injury on the same knee.
“This time, I don’t want to rush things. I will be more patient with my progress,” said Alas. “Watching from the sidelines while my team is losing makes it really frustrating because I know I can help the team.”
If things go well, Alas expects to rejoin team practices by September, and then wait for the go-signal from topnotch sports surgeon Dr. George Canlas when to return to actual competition.
“I really look forward to returning, maybe in time for the 2019 PBA Governors Cup. But I will not rush things. And when I return, I will not put too much pressure on myself,” Alas said.
“I will not pressure myself putting up the numbers and being as good. I’ve learned my lesson. When I return, I will just be thankful. That will be my mindset,” he added.
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Floorball might be an unfamiliar sport for the Filipino fans but one which vows to deliver for the country in the 30th Southeast Asian Games to be held in the country from Nov. 3 to Dec. 11.
Philippine Floorball Association president Ralph Ramos said they are hoping to complete a sweep of the gold in both the men and women’s divisions when the sport returns to the SEA Games.
“Floorball is basically hockey minus the skates. And you don’t play on ice. You just need a stick, a ball and rubber shoes and you’re ready to go,” Ramos said. “It’s very fast-paced, very exciting, and ‘yung nature ng sport is easy to play.”
The game is played with the object of shooting the ball in the goal with the use of a stick. It is played 5-on-5 plus a goal keeper each, with each team maximizing all 20 players in their roster.
Floorball was first played in the 2015 SEA Games where the Filipinos finished last out of the four countries which competed. But constant foreign exposure despite the limited budget of the federation had help the team and the sport grow and develop.
Thailand and Singapore remain as the biggest threats to the Filipinos’ gold medal bid in the SEA Games, with Malaysia and Indonesia completing the five-team cast, according to Ramos./PN
