When Farm Fresh brought in head coach Alessandro Lodi, the franchise was searching for an identity—something sustainable, organized, and repeatable.
Just months later, the Foxies have evolved into an emerging powerhouse, with their rise predicated on discipline on and off the taraflex.
Behind that transformation is Lodi’s approach, which proved to be a data-centric, fact-driven system that has reshaped the way the Foxies train, adjust, and compete.
Lodi explains his system
For the fiery Italian tactician, data isn’t just a spreadsheet or a set of numbers. It’s a full framework for how a team understands itself.
“For me, it's a very natural way of working. It's not just data in terms of having a piece of paper with numbers that tell you some things about what you're working on,” Lodi told One Sports.
“It's also just having all the practice filmed, video recorded, reviewing everything, so having facts as the foundation of what we do.”
Alessandro Lodi readies his instructions for Farm Fresh in the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference. | Photo: PVL
Under Lodi's watch, every match and every training session by Farm Fresh is recorded, broken down, and re-evaluated.
“If you watch a game, you have some ideas on what happened, but then you go back and review this game, and it's going to tell me some things that I have not seen,” he added.
“I have a lot of experience and knowledge, but I don't see everything, or I see things that are not proven right by reviewing on video.”
Selecting players based on progression, not reputation
One of the biggest changes under Lodi is how playing time is determined. Instead of relying on past achievements or old habits, he focuses on the development trajectory for the Foxies.
“Once you change methods and you change systems, it's not so much about comparing. It's really just seeing, okay, what's the status quo? What's the situation right now? How does this situation evolve?” Lodi explained.
Lodi went on saying that performances from months ago do not matter. He also considers in-game behavior, specifically the players who step up in pressure moments, even if the numbers don’t fully capture it.
“Who has a certain performance in July isn't really super relevant,” said Lodi. “You want to know in the last months who are the people that you're going to put on the court.”
“There is an extra factor, the players that in certain moments go make those plays, even they struggle and then they finish,” he added.
How players see Lodi’s ‘data-first’ approach
The Farm Fresh players have felt the impact of this shift.
Star spiker Trisha Tubu described how Lodi’s data-based coaching has sharpened their decision-making.
“Unang-una si coach Lodi, more on data talaga siya, situation na lahat,” said Tubu, the team's most decorated player with three PVL Best Opposite Spiker awards.
“So mga drills namin, lalo na, is we're on situation na what if ganito yung bola? Bitin, tapos mababa. Anong gagawin?”
[ALSO READ: PVL: How high-spirited Alessandro Lodi became the right coach for Trisha Tubu, Farm Fresh]
Tubu is also personifying the team's progression, as she currently ranks 1st among Best Spikers in the 2025 Reinforced Conference with a 39.74 percent spiking efficiency.
“Huwag puro palo, pahirapan niyo yung, ano, yung kalaban nyo. If pangit ‘yung set, gawan ng paraan, hindi yung basta nalang i-offer nung walang purpose. So, lahat na sinasabi ni coach na lahat ng attempts namin dapat may purpose,” she said.
Middle blocker Lorene Toring likewise experienced one of the biggest transformations under Lodi’s data-driven system.
“Pinabago niya lahat ’yung tempo. Instead na zero tempo, ginawa niya first tempo," she admitted.
"At first, nung nag-adapt kami, [isip namin] hindi namin kaya ’yan. [Pero] at the end of the day, parang iniisip ko na new learnings to, new opportunities kasi nga, international ito.”
The biggest change in her game? Service.
“Sa serving siguro, mas hindi ako takot na magkarga,” Toring admitted. “Dati kasi parang, okay, ipasok ko lang.”
“Nung nakikita ko yung mga sinesend ng videos, mas effective if may karga kasi nga, masisira yung play ng kalaban, tsaka mawawala ng receive.”
[ALSO READ: PVL: Alessandro Lodi calls Lorene Toring one of Farm Fresh’s most improved players]
Why the system works for Farm Fresh?
The Foxies’ rise has not been fueled just by the arrival of import Eli Rousseaux, who is a heavy scorer, but also by a framework that maximizes every player’s strength.
In a league as competitive as the PVL, that approach has given Farm Fresh a true identity.
And only time will tell if Lodi can find the data and numbers to lead the Foxies to its best finish yet.
[ALSO READ: Lodi proud of Farm Fresh’s PVL transformation: ‘More close to a revolution than change’]
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.