TENSE as he was in his debut, there's no erasing the smile on the face of new NXLED head coach Taka Minowa after a winning start to his PVL head coaching career.
The Japanese tactician shared how the nerves kept creeping in for the past week ahead of the All-Filipino Conference opener.
READ: Chameleons score straight-sets win over Defenders in PVL opener
"Actually, I woke up today feeling a lot of pressure," Minowa admitted.
But keeping a positive and upbeat outlook, just as what he preaches to his wards, was of dire importance for Minowa to kick off the new conference.
"Even throughout this week, I haven’t gotten enough sleep because of pressure but I try to keep my smile because I always say to my players: ‘Don’t forget to smile,'" the NXLED mentor said.
“My body’s still shaking but I’m so excited to coach here (in the Philippines) because of my players and my coaching staff," he added.
Albeit struggling to fully communicate in English, Minowa underscored the mutual efforts between him and the entire NXLED team which has flourished into a "good relationship."
“Even though my English is not good, they try to understand me. That’s why we have a good relationship which is the most important thing," said Minowa.
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