CHRIS Gavina is fortunate to be in a position to win a PBA title with Rain or Shine as the team’s assistant coach.
Gavina is in his first conference with the Elastopainters, a year after his last stint in the PBA as head coach with the Columbian Dyip franchise.
“Truly blessed to be in a position where the outcome of events where Rain or Shine is in the semifinals,” said the 40-year-old Gavina. “Just grateful for the opportunity that is provided for me by Rain or Shine, coach Caloy (Garcia) and their team management, and the trust they put in me to try to fill the gaps whatever I can for the team.
“Hopefully, it will translate into a championship the management is expected of us,” said Gavina.
Gavina said he got the job by pure coincidence as he once tried to attend a practice of Team Pilipinas where Garcia is the assistant coach to Yeng Guiao.
“Just sheer concidence,” said Gavina in describing how he got the Rain or Shine job. “I remembered I just coached coach Caloy one time. I found that he was with Gilas and Alex Cabagnot is going there and Alex asked me to train with them while he was with Gilas.
“I texted coach Caloy if it would be okay to come. And he said sure. That same week, he kinda reached out to me and asked if he wants to join the staff. And the rest is history,” said Gavina.
Prior to Rain or Shine, Gavina was calling the shots for the Kia/Mahindra franchise even though he was the designated assistant coach to Manny Pacquiao in the team. After his stint in the PBA, Gavina moved to the MPBL where he coached the Valenzuela Classic.
Gavina said he learned a lot from the tough times during his stint in the PBA as well as in the MPBL.
“I think learning from those adversity, I kinda take it as a gift where it allows you room for growth as a person, and as a coach. Those trivial times kinda helped me to become a complement to coach Caloy now in areas where he needs to be a supporting agent,” said Gavina.
As to his MPBL stint, Gavina also called it a learning experience, saying: “It become more of a you kinda do it all, learn how to do it all, kinda thing so those things.”
For his first conference back in the PBA, Gavina is hoping for the best for him and the Elastopainters.
“Just the fact that in my conference back, we are already in the semis, we are just taking one game a time. We are not even looking at the finals,” said Gavina.
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