DANTE Alinsunurin has made coaching a playoff-bound PVL club and a five-peat seeking UAAP team at the same time look like light work.
It’s because he’s done it before and knows the ins and outs of concurrent coaching duties like the back of his hand, driven by his unwavering love for the game.
READ: PH volleyball coaches with concurrent PVL, UAAP, NCAA roles
“Nu’ng nagsisimula pa lang ako mag-coach, nasanay na rin ako na ginagawa ko na. Kaya ngayong may PVL at UAAP, sanay na ako,” Alinsunurin told SPIN.ph.
“Noon pa lang din talaga, marami na akong hinahawakang team eh kasi gusto ko yung ginagawa kong trabaho.”
Alinsunrin used to handle teams like the Megabuilders Volley Bolts, Go for Gold Air Force, and the Philippine men’s national volleyball team within his 15-year tenure — and counting — alongside being National U’s men’s volleyball head coach.
Now that there has been more than a few game day overlaps between the Bulldogs and Choco Mucho, the champion coach shared how the fatigue and adrenaline rush of it all are already second nature to him.
“Parang napakadali na sa’kin kasi nasanay na ko before na ginagawa ko siya. Normal na lang sa’kin,” Alinsunurin said.
“Nakakaramdam ng pagod, pero kapag ganitong sitwasyon na alam mo na yung pinaghirapan mo, mga pinag-isipan mo, nagiging maayos naman yung takbo ng lahat. Nawawala yung pagod kapag ganun lang 'yung mindset palagi.”
From Pasay to Pasig
The best example of which was on Saturday, when he had a 12 p.m. UAAP game with NU at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City — one that ended at about 2 p.m — followed by the Flying Titans' PVL qualifying round match against Chery Tiggo at 6 p.m. at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
After a traffic-riddled drive, Alinsunurin shared how he took it upon himself to have just 10 minutes to himself when he arrived at the Pasig venue to recalibrate his body and mind before calling the shots again in a high-stakes battle for a PVL quarterfinals spot.
“Pagod lang talaga ako kasi nag-apat na sets kami (vs. UE), pero yung biyahe rin, medyo tumagal yung biyahe,” Alinsunurin shared.
“Nu’ng nakarating ako (sa Philsports Arena), bago ako bumaba ng sakayan, pumikit muna ko. Pagpikit ko, may mga 10 minutes, binuksan ko rin agad, pumasok na'ko sa dugout."
In the end, he won both of his matches with National U and Choco Mucho — all in a day's work.
The long game to winning both UAAP and PVL crowns, however, has only just begun.
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