Similar to the Racelas, another set of brothers – in the form of the Dimaculangans – are coaching on opposite sides in the UAAP Season 84 Women’s Volleyball Tournament.
Karl Dimaculangan is steering National University, while his older brother Ronwald is leading University of the East.
In their first encounter against each other this season, it was Karl and the Lady Bulldogs who got the edge. They defeated the Lady Warriors in straight sets, 25-11, 25-20, 25-13, to keep their record unblemished with a 4-0 card.
The younger Dimaculangan claimed that the Lady Bulldogs merely treated it as a normal game, regardless of their opponents.
For him, making the right adjustments and continuing to improve after every game will be key factors for them as they try to navigate a grueling campaign in Season 84.
“Siguro ano lang, professional naman kami. And last time ‘yun nga, sa ibang team ako, so ngayon nandito naman ako sa NU. Trabaho lang naman. Hindi naman kami tumitingin kung sino ‘yung team na kalaban namin,” said the former setter for the UST Men’s Volleyball Team.
“Basta kami, nagta-trabaho lang regardless kasi sa standing, kung may panalo ‘man o matalo… Ang hinahanap kasi namin improvement kada panalo. Pero ‘yun ‘yung goal namin na mag-improve kami bawat game, kasi mahabang season and mabilis. So kailangan yung adjustment and improvement pa rin ang ano namin as a team.”
Back in Season 82, it was Karl manning the sidelines for UE. Then NU sought his services after choosing not to renew the contract of former head coach Norman Miguel.
UE athletic director Rod Roque took over the coaching duties for the Lady Warriors on an interim basis shortly. Later, Ronwald was promoted as the team’s head coach for Season 84.
Against the Lady Bulldogs, the older Dimaculangan admitted that his players failed to put up a strong fight against the top-seeded team. Janeca Lana led the Lady Warriors with nine points and 10 excellent receptions along with seven excellent digs.
The team continues to miss the production of spiker Apple Lingay who went down with a knee injury in their previous game against FEU.
According to Dimaculangan, the intimidation factor hindered the Lady Warriors from keeping in step with their opponents. They absorbed their fourth straight loss to start the season.
“Malakas naman talaga ‘yung NU but I was looking for that fighting factor siguro sa mga players, ‘yung maglaro lang sila. That’s what I’m trying to look at but unfortunately, hindi nag-deliver ‘yung players,” he claimed.
“Siguro nag-aadjust parin kasi we only had a day para ‘dun sa adjustment sa palit ng tao. So ‘yun nagulat, siguro I would admit that there’s still an intimidation factor because siyempre NU and then ‘yung players talaga mabibilis. Intimidated parin eh but slowly we’ll try na parang kahit sinong kalaban nila maglaro lang sila ng laro nila para kahit naman papano nandun ‘yung fighting factor di ba?”
The UE head coach also shared that he and his brother didn’t talk about their matchup on Thursday morning. According to him, they simply focused on coaching their respective teams as they both tried to get themselves a win.
“Before the game hindi, wala naman talaga. Wala lang parang kasi whenever like dito siguro outside magkapatid pero kapag nasa court na professional lang. We’ll just do our thing. He has his own system, I have mine. Medyo hindi lang rin kami nagtitinginan para wala lang ding ilangan during the game,” he said.
“Parang usually mag-gaglance ka ‘dun sa coach na nasa kabilang side but kanina parang wala sige,di naman maka-apekto baka magtawanan lang kaming dalawa. Serious competition so serious din kaming parehas so we’re just focusing on our respective teams.”
Aside from Ronwald and Karl, they also have a younger sister in Rhea Dimaculangan who was the former team captain of the UST Golden Tigresses and last played for the PLDT Home Fibr Power Hitters in the PVL.
Ronwald shared that he is glad to see how far his siblings have come and how they are all trying to make their own mark in the local volleyball scene.
“We never imagined na parang darating ‘yung time na magkakalaban kami kasi before magkakasama lang din kami sa UE. Parang nakakagulat lang din and at the same time siyempre nakakatuwa kasi parang nasa volleyball kaming tatlo,” he reflected.
“Yung isa naglalaro then kaming dalawa nag-cocoach. Minsan nagbibiruan nalang. Like last time parang naglolokohan lang kaming tatlo na paano kung magkalaban kami, sinong i-checheer mo? Tas sasabihin ni Rhea [Dimaculangan], ‘di nalang ako manonood para walang sasama ‘yung loob.”
At the end of the day, the eldest Dimaculangan shared that he and his brother are aiming to draw a fine line between their personal and professional sides, especially when they face off against each other as they both try to lead their respective teams through Season 84.
“Nagbibiruan, ‘yung typical na siyempre magkakapatid so ‘yun lang ‘yung lokohan namin lagi. Pero nakakatuwa because parang we’re on a different stage and at least we were able to manage lang din siguro kung ano ‘yung personal sa professional na side namin.”
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