FARM Fresh head coach Koji Tsuzurabara isn't one for long speeches, often letting his team’s play do the talking while he navigates the language barrier that comes with coaching in the Philippines.
But on the verge of history, the 61-year-old Japanese mentor found his voice.
READ: Tubu all-in as Farm Fresh nears historic PVL finals appearance
With his Foxies now just one win away from a breakthrough appearance in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference finals in his first campaign in charge, Tsuzurabara didn’t hold back in expressing both gratitude and a quiet plea for recognition.
“Our next game is at Filoil. Ninety-nine-point-eight-percent will cheer for Creamline. My team, 0.2-percent, maybe 0.1-percent,” he said, acknowledging the uphill climb against crowd favorite Creamline, their last hurdle to the finals. “No advantages. We are challengers.”
That underdog identity has defined Farm Fresh’s campaign as a young squad punching above its weight against established powerhouses.
Yet even as the Foxies inch closer to a historic finals berth, Tsuzurabara pointed out that recognition for the franchise still lags behind.
“I always look at the seats. Always pink, nothing orange,” he said, referencing the Cool Smashers' well-known fanbase.
“This is my request to many. These four teams, PLDT, Cignal, Creamline, very famous. But Farm Fresh, not famous. Volleyball fans here don’t know Farm Fresh’s team name.”
Tsuzurabara shared that even off the court, his side's identity remains a work in progress, recalling encounters with fans who still associate him with his former team or mistake him for another coach altogether.
“Before, some people asked me, ‘Hey, you’re the coach of Petro Gazz?’ Yes, I was the coach of Petro Gazz Angels, but not Petro Gazz [anymore],” he said.
“Last week, one person came to me, ‘You are Nxled coach?’ No, I’m not Nxled Chameleons coach. Nxled has an Italian coach.”
Building a household name
Those moments for him underscore a larger reality: Farm Fresh, despite its rapid rise, is still carving out its identity in a league dominated by more established brands.
“Farm Fresh started 2023. It’s too short a time, [but we made it] in the top four. Too high hurdles, but we’re in the top four,” he said.
And as they close in on their franchise's biggest milestone yet, the seasoned coach hopes their steady climb will finally command both attention and well-deserved recognition.
“I’d like to make an appeal, to users on Facebook and Instagram, please support Farm Fresh," he said.
It was a simple appeal from a coach who rarely says much, but this time, had every reason to speak up with his wards zoning in on history.
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