FATE has led veteran coach Shaq delos Santos back to España where he is back in championship contention with University of Sto. Tomas in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament.
And he’s one to know more than a thing or two on what it takes to get over the Finals hump as head coach of the last Tigresses champion team in Season 72 back in 2010.
Following a Final Four exit the year prior at the hands of Far Eastern University, delos Santos’ star-studded Thomasian squad led by then-captain Aiza Maizo, Rhea Dimaculangan, Ge Tabaquero, Maika Ortiz and Dindin Santiago led a vengeful title romp over La Salle to seize what would be their 16th UAAP women’s volleyball crown.
READ: UST captain Detdet Pepito thrilled to prove doubters wrong
Just like its Season 86 team, UST finished the elimination round as the second-seeded team and also with a 12-2 (win-loss) record as Dimaculangan’s fine playmaking earned her the Finals MVP and best server nods that year.
Fourteen years later, delos Santos returned to UST as a deputy to Kungfu Reyes tasked to sharpen the Tigresses’ defensive skills. As he stands on the verge of delivering another title to España with a young yet impassioned team, the champion mentor embraced the honor of a lifetime to return to the school that first gave him a shot at glory.
“Sobrang happy talaga, grabe. Hindi ko lang totally ma-explain kung gaano ako ka-happy. Imagine nu’ng nag-start kami, tinitignan nila ‘yung team namin na ganito lang, makikita niyo naman ang liliit (ng players namin) pero grabe pagdating sa training, napakasisipag.
"Gusto lang talaga nilang matuto at i-absorb lang ng lahat ng binabato namin sa kanila, shine-share namin kaya pagdating ng game, more on application lang,” said delos Santos.
“Kung mapapansin niyo, medyo nagsstruggle pa nga ‘pag may ibang set na pumapangit ‘yung performance namin. Pero good thing kasi, kahit mga bata ‘tong mga ‘to, grabe ‘yung pag-step-up and ‘yung performance nila talaga. Kahit sino ‘yung kalaban namin, talagang binibigay nila ‘yung 110 percent nila,” he added.
And with three Premier Volleyball League (PVL) head coaches manning UST’s ship including him (Cignal), Reyes (Chery Tiggo) and Lerma Giron (Galeries Tower), delos Santos couldn’t have asked for a smoother-sailing coaching dynamic than what the Tigresses have now.
“‘Yung pag-absorb sa’kin nila Coach Kungfu (Reyes), nila Coach Ian (Fernandez), and then siyempre ‘yung UST community. Sobrang thankful ako kasi siyempre nakapasok sa Finals and then kasama ulit ako ngayon.
“Malaking (bagay) sa’kin na nakakatulong at nakakapag-share. Ang good thing din kasi sa’ming mga coaches, balanced eh. Wala kaming tinitignan na mataas dito, ikaw lang ganito. Kumbaga kami, fair lang lahat ng tingin namin sa bawat isa and ang good thing kasi, ‘yung respect naman namin sa bawat position,” said delos Santos.
UST’s fighting spirit lives on
Delos Santos pointed out how there lies a stark contrast age-wise and status-wise between UST’s Season 72 and Season 86 teams.
The Tigresses’ veteran squad 14 years ago were established championship contenders from the get-go, whereas this season’s core had six rookies, seven sophomores and only one third-year ace in team captain Detdet Pepito.
But age and title-contending status aside, one thing hasn’t changed from then until now that has led España’s finest back for a shot at the championship — the Thomasian fighting spirit.
“Siguro ‘yung fighting spirit talaga ng mga bata (pareho sa Season 72 champion team). ‘Yung lineup namin that season (72), mas contender ‘yun kaysa dito kasi ‘yun, mga beterano na rin ‘yun eh. Kilala naman natin lahat ‘yun.
“Then itong mga ‘to, nakakatuwa kasi ang babata, pero alam mo ‘yung talagang palaban. Talagang every training, ang dami nilang pinipilit na matutunan, ginugusto nilang gawin, kasi alam nila na pagdating ng game, talagang magiging worth it siya,” said delos Santos.
“Parehong palaban pero magkaiba lang ng age nu’ng time na ‘yun. Nakakatuwa lang kasi nakaka-miss ‘yung ganitong situation na aakyat ka na ulit sa Finals. Hopefully, makuha namin (‘yung championship).”
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