WEEKS after claiming his first UAAP women’s volleyball title with National U, Sherwin Meneses was named Coach of the Year with Creamline at the inaugural PVL Press Corps Awards Night on Wednesday.
READ: Sherwin on Creamline coaching change: 'Tsismis lang yun'
Philippine volleyball’s first and only Grand Slam-winning coach earned the league’s top coaching honors also upon becoming the first centurion when he hit the 100-win mark in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
His running total by the conference’s end? 104 victories and just 18 losses, yielding an 85.25 percent success rate in three years as Creamline head coach.
For team captain Alyssa Valdez, who is no stranger to groundbreaking feats herself, Meneses might be a man of few words but make no mistake about it — he’s definitely a man of substance.
“I think one of the things na very obvious naman, Coach Sherwin [Meneses] is very quiet, very shy. He is also like that in training, but when he talks, may laman talaga,” Valdez said.
But one thing that not many might know about the 42-year-old coach? He’s quite the sporting whiz, too.
Meneses’ mastery of the sport from a coaching standpoint comes from not only being a former player himself but also because of his unending pursuit of knowledge which he selflessly imparts to his players.
“One thing na we appreciate from Coach Sherwin is his knowledge na lagi niyang shine-share. He’s very generous in terms of sharing his knowledge to us,” Valdez said.
“Deserve na deserve niya yung Coach of the Year, not just being one of the top coaches in the PVL but also I think one of the top coaches din in the UAAP.”
Inspiring future dynasties
Eight years of unparalleled success with 176 league wins and 10 PVL titles cemented the Cool Smashers’ stature as the best team in all of Philippine volleyball — maybe even ever.
But beyond building such a reputation of being a bona fide volleyball dynasty, Valdez carries the hope that Creamline’s legacy will continue to be grounded on inspiring future bastions and stars of the sport.
She also believes that the next big thing in the sport will be one built from the ground up like theirs, given how Creamline first won back-to-back bronze medals in the league’s inaugural 2017 season before its reign of dominance ensued.
“Hopefully, the story and the journey of our team inspire all the aspiring athletes out there — not just in volleyball,” Valdez said.
“We started not so good [eight years ago] but through hard work and passion and determination, you will reach your dreams, as well. If you enjoy and you’re really as one team, as one family, you’ll go to greater heights.”
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