San Miguel Beermen coach Leo Austria believes discipline will go a long way in reinforcing the sufficient safety guidelines laid out by the PBA and approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) last week.
"'Yung ginawang proposal ng PBA regarding sa mga guidelines ay more than enough para magkaroon ng safety environment 'yung team," he said Thursday. "Kayang-kaya naman 'yan sundin ng any team in the PBA. Syempre, kabuhayan ito ng maraming tao, hindi lang ng mga players. At syempre, entertainment ito para sa mga Pilipino. With the discipline of any player, kayang-kaya ito."
Under protocols drafted by the PBA last May, only four players, a medical officer and a trainer will be allowed on the court for workouts by batches behind closed doors. Per commissioner Willie Marcial, team personnel are also required to undergo testing for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) three days before practices resume.
"I believe those personnel sa PBA, as a player or as a coach, hindi naman sila makakarating dito sa puntong ito kung walang disiplina," he said. "It's a matter of so many things. Ito 'yung job mo, and then dapat may safety. I think as a whole, kayang-kaya naman ng mga players mag-comply."
"Parang nasa bubble rin kami. From practice to pag-uwi sa bahay, we have to be disciplined and sumunod sa regulations. Ang mangyayari, bahay-venue lang. Ganoon ang mangyayari para maiwasan 'yung transmissions," added Austria.
Austria and other head coaches, along with their respective team managers, will meet with Marcial Friday for a meeting in order to lay down ground rules for the resumption of practices, which is projected to happen five to seven days after the commissioner's meeting with the Board of Governors.
The eight-time champion coach said news of IATF approving the PBA's request to hold limited practices was a positive step forward.
"The moment na nalaman namin 'yung approval ng IATF regarding the resumption of practice, of course that was a welcome development para sa aming mga coaches, players and para sa team as a whole," he shared.
After gaining more insight with their pending meeting with Marcial, Austria said the Beermen will pace themselves in the first few days while working within the bounds of league regulations in order to acclimatize themselves better.
"I think the players, they are professional. They know kung ano ang kulang nila," he explained. "Most probably, ang gagawin nila ay what your role with the team is. Kung big man ka, most of the time sa poste ka, close to the basket. If you're a shooter, syempre sa perimeter 'yan. Just to feel the court dahil for four months, 'yung iba talagang 'di nila nakikita ang mga arena eh."
Health won't be much of a concern given how his players, save for the recuperating June Mar Fajardo, have been able to recover physically during the quarantine, but he acknowledged that getting into game shape will be a "phase by phase" process.
"After these four months, for me baka 99 percent healthy 'yan. Before the opening, there are teams na merong injured players pero I think naka-recover na sila, naka-recuperate tapos nagpapa-condition para mai-prepare nila ang kanilang katawan. Physically, dapat ready sila," he said.
"I think maa-achieve 'yan (game shape) before the resumption of the games in the tournament," he continued. "During the lockdown, the players naman are very responsible. Alam nila na they have to maintain their conditioning. Ang inaalala lang nila, which is nabigyan naman ng solution, ay 'di naman pwedeng pagbalik mo, maglalaro agad."
Austria, for his part, said he also has to prepare himself after using the quarantine to recover mentally.
"In my case, I have to prepare myself physically. Mentally, medyo naka-recharge na and nakapag-reflect na makabalik ka sa sarili mo. In the last five years, we've always been to the playoffs. Talagang stressed na stressed ka eh. Pero mas gusto kong stressed ako kaysa magkaroon ng pandemic," he laughed. "Nagkaroon ako ng time to keep in shape. Physically, in condition ako. Almost every day, with my family, my wife and my children, lagi kaming nage-exercise at least two hours a day."