Capital1 Solar Energy head coach Roger Gorayeb is bringing in veterans to help kick-start the Power Spikers’ maiden Premier Volleyball League campaign.
Former F2 Logistics opposite spiker Rovie Instrella, ex-Petro Gazz open spiker Heather Guino-o, and Jannine Navarro from Nxled headlined the team’s first signees alongside Gorayeb’s former players Aiko Urdas and Jorelle Singh.
The multi-titled coach bared that he is still in the process of trimming down his pool of 23 players to 20 and that he will conduct their first training session on Monday.
“Una kasi, ang hinahanap ko, yung mga may experience na kasi biglaan na ito eh,” said Gorayeb, who is making his return to the PVL after two years.
“So, iba kasi kesa yung mga bata talaga na fresh na fresh, ano? Madalian. So, si Aiko [Urdas] sinama ko, si Jorelle [Singh], sila kasi yung may mga experience eh,” he added.
Despite the tight schedule, the San Sebastian head coach is confident that Capital1 can form a decent squad in time for the 2024 PVL Open Conference which is set to open this February.
Gorayeb said that he will lean on his experience as the newly-formed Power Spikers try to navigate through the professional volleyball landscape.
“Actually, sa utak namin, si Hollie Reyes, meron na kaming iniisip na first six eh. Kasi makakabuo kami ng well-experienced first six, sa ngayon kasi, ayokong isipin yung next year,” said Gorayeb.
“Kung pwede ngayon palang, ayaw ko lang mag-land kami sa ilalim kasi bagong bago tong team na to eh. Three weeks nalang, maglalaro na, di pa kami naguumpisa, by Monday pa kami maguumpisa magpractice. But, I will always lean on the experience,” he added.
The former PLDT head coach is tempering his expectations in the Power Spikers’ first foray into the PVL. Still, he insisted that anything is possible based on his previous experiences with Ateneo in the UAAP and BaliPure in the PVL.
“Nung sa akin naman kasi, if you will remember, maski sa Ateneo eh, nagsimula ako sa limang player lang. Tapos biglang nandon na. If you will remember, yung Balipure, pinagsama ko lang yung Baste, what happened, on the first year nag-finals kami, tapos nagchampion kami sa All-Filipino,” said Gorayeb, a triple crown champion in the V-League.
“Yun lang na ganyang experience ko, bibitbitin ko lahat dito. Alam mo naman yung reputation ko sa ganyan, medyo mahigpit ako sa ensayo. Kaya, ayaw ko naman na enthusiasm nitong dalawang [owners], si Milka, talagang, hindi tayo magpapatalo ah.”
