RALD Ricafort became the first PVL head coach to win a championship with two different teams in the pro volleyball league’s eight-year history.
Having won one with Petro Gazz in the 2022 Reinforced Conference, the PLDT coach is now the third mentor to win multiple PVL titles - and the first non-Creamline coach to do so - after Sherwin Meneses with seven championships and Tai Bundit with three.
READ: PLDT a champion at last after surviving Chery Tiggo fightback
Ricafort have previously found himself at the center of many heartbreaks and ‘almosts’ with the High Speed Hitters, ranging from semifinal meltdowns to near-Final Four misses over the last four years.
In his first shot at a PVL championship, one that had a triumphant finish as PLDT fended off Chery Tiggo for the 2025 PVL on Tour crown, Ricafort, not exactly a prayerful man, resorted to prayers and faith.
His wish wasn’t just a championship. It was to make his players stronger from hardships than more vulnerable to self-doubts.
“Hindi ako religious na tao pero inintindi ko lang nung pinag-pray namin na tumibay ang team at magkaroon ng tapang at maging resilient mula sa mga ibinigay sa amin na challenges for the last year,” Ricafort said.
“Yung mga sayang, yung mga heartbreaks, tinake ko na lang personally na ire-ready kami ng mga yun. Happy at nakaka-proud na hanggang sa last set ipinakita ng girls yung gusto naming mangyari na tumibay saka tumapang.”
With two PVL titles to his name, Ricafort has cracked the championship code once and for all.
It’s a winning acumen centered on perseverance and defiance even if adversity just doesn’t seem to stop swinging their way.
“Yung hindi talaga pagtigil [natutunan ko] kasi lagi naming tinuturo sa mga players yun na wag maging kampante sa naabot na improvement o skill. Sa amin lalo nag-aapply yun at sa akin lalong naga-apply,” Ricafort said.
“Every conference, gumagaling lahat ng teams. Every year, nagkakaroon ng mga bagong lineups. ‘Di pwedeng mag-settle. Lagi talagang naghahabol for improvement.
“Yung pagbuhos [din talaga ng sarili] araw-araw, knowing na kahit anong mangyari, at least nagawa namin yung part namin.”
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
