Arnold Laniog wore three different hats for three different teams on Sunday.
The Premier Volleyball League champion coach started his day at 7:00 AM with Petro Gazz where he serves as Rald Ricafort’s lead deputy.
He then immediately left the Angels’ practice to coach College of St. Benilde against Adamson University in their 10:00 game in the 2022 V-League Men’s Collegiate Challenge at the Paco Arena.
Just hours following the Blazers’ loss to the Soaring Falcons in four sets, Laniog once again changed his uniform. This time, De La Salle University was scheduled to take on Arellano University at 3:00 PM.
“Nag-training pa ako sa Petro Gazz ng 7 to 10, tapos kanina yung Benilde naka-fourth set e buti nga hindi nag-fifth set although muntikan kami mag-fifth set pero happy,” said Laniog after steering the Green Spikers to a tight four-set victory against the Chiefs.
Indeed, it has been a crazy 12 hours for the NCAA champion tactician.
But as tough as it was, Laniog bared that he has no regrets about taking on three coaching jobs especially after the COVID-19 pandemic put the entire sporting world at a stop for more than a year.
Moreover, he’s just glad to finally see the men’s collegiate scene unfold after he spent the past year working on the women’s side.
“Sabi ko nga, pagod ako, napapagod pero at least dumating na yung panahon na bumalik na yung collegiate volleyball. Ganun talaga, pero happy naman ako sa career ko. Tiyagaan lang talaga,” said Laniog.
“Buti nga ang schedule natin is hindi sabay sabay yung games so talagang every other day. Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday ang V-League, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday (ang PVL). Like ngayon, kung ano yung importante na pupuntahan ko, doon ako. So far naman pumapanig naman yung schedule ng training na hindi nagco-conflict talaga,” he continued.
La Salle star Noel Kampton, who fired 27 big points in the Green Spikers’ 25-19, 27-25, 22-25, 30-28 debut win, lauded his head coach for his efforts and sacrifices.
“Yun yung masaya kapag magkalaban sister schools e pero props to coach, ‘di nale-late ‘yan sa training namin. Minsan maaga pa nga samin ‘yan e, kunwari 4 training namin, nandoon na si coach ng 3:30. So kami ayun, natataranta talaga kami,” shared Kampton.
With La Salle and Benilde both slotted in Pool A, Laniog – who already faced the same dilemma in the past – made sure to address the inevitable as early as now.
“Usapan naman namin ‘yan, before nangyari na sa Unigames ‘yan. Hindi ako nag-coach, yung mga assistant ko ang nagco-coach. Sila magco-coach tapos dun lang ako sa labas para makapag-observe and ma-evaluate ko yung laro nila.”
The clash between the Green Spikers and the Blazers will be on November 4, Friday at 8:00 AM.
