In a league of thorns, one rose stood out in the 2022 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference.
It was Cecile Cruzada, manning the sidelines for Philippine Navy in the men’s volleyball league.
The bench tactician though bared after Navy’s 25-22, 25-19, 25-19 win over Ateneo-Fudgee Barr that she was reluctant at first to take the job.
“Sa totoo lang, hindi ko sana tatanggapin kasi nga lalaki sila,” said Cruzada.
However, it is the players themselves that motivated her to take the helm for Navy.
It has become a partnership, most of the time, with the players and the coaches learning from each other.
“Actually iba kasi ‘yung capacity babae, iba ‘yung sa lalaki so sinasabihan ko sila na tulungan nila ako, kung ano pa ‘yung kulang ko, sabihan nila ako,” added Cruzada, who was previously an assistant coach for Iriga City in the PVL before.
“Dahil sa tulong nila na pag motivate nila sa akin, nagawa namin ‘yung magandang program namin.”
Cruzada was once a player of legendary coach Roger Gorayeb in beach volleyball.
As a player, she surely learned a lot from Gorayeb, and now passing those at Navy.
Cruzada shared how big of a motivator Gorayeb was and she’s trying her best version of it on her coaching stints now.
“Kay Coach Roger kasi ‘yung mga motivation sa players kasi once na magaling ka rin magmotivate sa player mo, pag mamotivate mo sila bumabalik ‘yung laro nila,” the spikers-turned-tactician said.
“‘Yun po ang number 1 na nakuha ko kay Coach Roger.”
