WITH the way National University’s changing one coach after another with their highly-successful women’s volleyball squad – it’s fair to expect the coaches of other programs to feel the heat and the intense pressure to succeed.
That includes Jeff Napa, a National U lifer who played for the Bulldogs in college, won championships with the Bullpups as head coach, and is now entering his fifth season as shot-caller of the Bulldogs.
READ: NU UAAP 88 PREVIEW: Bulldogs' big picture now crystal clear
A beloved figure in Sampaloc and someone who once joked that he could change his surname to ‘NU’ with his love for his alma mater and how much time he’s devoted to it, Napa understands that such is the life of a coach at this level.
But for 'Jeff NU,' the personal pressure to keep his job isn’t something he’s focused on. What he’d rather his energy on is how he’ll get the best out of his team while he’s still calling the shots.
“Yung pressure naman, andyan naman e. Yung motivation, 'di naman nawawala yan e,” he answered when SPIN.ph asked about his thoughts on being on the proverbial coaching hot seat.
“Every year, I dream big naman e. Hindi naman para sa’kin, pero para sa bata yan e," he added. "Kumbaga, hindi ko na para isipin kung ano yung para sa’kin e, laging yung mga bata ang iniisip ko talaga. Yung future nila yung lagi kong tinitignan.”
Coaches coach, players play
After three championships with the Bullpups and a brief detour in Intramuros with Letran, Napa returned to the Bulldogs in 2020 – making the semis twice in four seasons with a total record of 30-28 in four years (including two semis losses).
He's now the second-longest tenured coach in the UAAP alongside Goldwin Monteverde of the University of the Philippines - with Ateneo's Tab Baldwin the leader in that category.
With basically an intact roster from last year and a solid preseason run, things are looking up for NU in the upcoming Season 88 and Napa is keeping a high standard for his squad, especially as their school hasn’t reached the finals since winning it all in 2014.
“I demand a lot, Mataas ang expectations ko sa kanila, alam naman nila yun, kasi yun ang only way na makikita ko na ma-reach nila yung goal nila talaga,” he said.
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