AKARI has embraced its new role as the PVL’s ‘villains’ with open arms months since its infamous Reinforced Conference semifinals victory last year.
For one of its mainstays in Fifi Sharma, being antagonized by volleyball fans is nothing new.
In fact, they were given a taste of jeers by the Philsports Arena crowd to rally Capital1 back to contention — an effort that fell flat to an unfazed Akari side.
READ: Ivy Lacsina leads way for Akari in blowout win over Capital1
The way Sharma puts it, ‘been there, done that.’
“For us, the Akari Chargers, it's become a norm na,” Sharma told SPIN.ph.
“Parang we expect na every game may challenge talaga kasi our team isn't necessarily loved or supported that much.”
More than the impression of Akari turning heel, Sharma would rather put it as their detractors giving them added motivation to fight as a united front.
“Even though people are not united with how they see us and our team, united kami. Kami-kaming mga players, we have each other's backs,” she said.
“Over the months and the games that we've played, parang tumitibay ‘yung samahan namin kasi alam namin na even if people don't support us that much or they have a lot of things to say, kami-kami pa rin ‘yung magkakasama and kami-kami yung mukuhat sa isa't isa," she added.
“Masasandalan lang talaga namin yung isa't isa.”
Unfazed and unbothered
Akari’s leading scorer Ivy Lacsina also wasn’t spared from haters and dissidents over the last few months.
Moving forward, she made it a mission to be an exemplar of composure amid adversity for a not-so fan-favorite team like them.
“Kanina, kailangan ako ‘yung pinaka-kalmado. Sabi ko lang sa kanila, focus lang kami sa team namin and composed lang dapat kami kasi kahit sino naman ‘yung kalaban, may crowd (factor) talaga,” Lacsina shared with SPIN.ph.
“Ever since naman, ‘di ko masyadong pinapansin ‘yung mga ganun. Hindi naman sila nakaka-help sa’min. Du’n lang talaga ako sa positive side. Maganda man or hindi gawin namin, may masasabi’t masasabi sila.
“Gustuhin ko man, maririnig ko talaga sila. Isa rin sa tine-train sa’min ng coaches is kung paano namin i-handle ‘yung emotions namin. Focused lang talaga ako sa laro at iniisip ko lang na gawin na lang silang motivation.”
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