Cignal head coach Shaq Delos Santos has nothing but praise for HD Spikers’ lone rookie, Vanie Gandler.
The product of Ateneo de Manila University made an instant impact in less than two sets of action during their 25-18, 25-19, 25-18 victory over Farm Fresh on Thursday, contributing eight points and making four digs.
With the win, Cignal improved to 3-1, creating a three-way logjam atop Pool B with Petro Gazz and F2 Logistics.
Playing for a top team like the HD Spikers, Gandler is delighted that she made the right choice.
“It feels great. I’m really happy to be here. I’m really happy I chose Cignal,” said Gandler after the win.
Delos Santos shared that he and the rest of the coaching staff had little trouble fitting Gandler into their system. He also mentioned that observing Gandler in the past helped them easily identify what adjustments they needed to make to accommodate her style of play.
Delos Santos has been the head coach of University of the Philippines women’s volleyball team since last year, which provided him the opportunity to coach against Gandler when she was representing Ateneo.
“Sa quality kasi nung kayang gawin ni Vanie, hindi naman siya sobrang mahirap bigyan ng kumbaga lahat ng drills o kaya niyang iimprove since UAAP nakita ko naman siya alam namin kung anong kaya niya and sabi ko nga very thankful kami kasi pinili niya yung Cignal,” said Delos Santos.
“Wala namang malaking adjustment since same lang siya since college, outside hitter yun pa rin position niya siguro additional knowledge lang. Yung opposite position naman kaya rin niyang laruin, I’m sure since college marami na siyang natutunan and nadadala niya ngayon.”
Despite being a rookie, Gandler has been impressing with her performance as an open hitter. Delos Santos is confident that her game is far from reaching its peak and she will only get better.
On the other hand, Gandler expresses her gratitude for the patience shown by the coaching staff during her adjustment stage.
“Yung performance niya makikita niyo ngayon, ako sure ako mas magiging maganda pa sa mga susunod na games or mga next conference pa kasi sobrang dali niya lang turuan and sobrang willing matuto,” said the veteran coach.
“It’s been good. Coach Shaq is very patient with me and he really teaches me, it’s a new system so new perspective with everything and I’m really happy to be learning from him,” she said on her adjustment.
