ANTIPOLO – Japanese head coach Koji Tsuzurabara arrived at Farm Fresh carrying the same challenger mentality that propelled Petro Gazz to glory last year.
Now, he aims to instill that same mindset in the Foxies, hoping to transform the promising squad into a legitimate title contender in the 2026 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.
“This time, I’m very happy because I’m coaching at Farm Fresh. I was a champion last year, but this year, I am a challenger. And my players are also challengers,” said Tsuzurabara after helping Farm Fresh snap a two-game skid against Galeries Tower.
Tsuzurabara has long preached the value of a challenger mentality. It is a philosophy he cultivated during his time with the Angels — a mindset that bore fruit when he guided the team to its first-ever All-Filipino Conference championship last year.
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The Foxies closed the last Reinforced Conference with their best elimination round record to date, but Tsuzurabara — who replaced Italian coach Alessandro Lodi during the offseason — insists he is starting from scratch, determined to build a team capable of sustaining success.
He said he wants Farm Fresh players to transform their character on the court, cultivating a fighting spirit that can carry them through tough stretches and make them true challengers.
“Starting from zero, they still need to change their character. They need more development. I want to build their fighting spirit. I want more from them,” Tsuzurabara explained.
“They want to win, but it’s not easy. Winning is never easy. But I am very happy because I can coach at Farm Fresh and work with these young players.”
And it seems Tsuzurabara and the Foxies are on the right track after snapping a two-game losing streak with a convincing 25-14, 25-15, 25-12 win over the Highrisers at the Ynares Center here.
“In the first half-month, we performed well, but today we got a win. My idea for the next game is that all the players build on this performance. Today, I am happy — very excited. It was a fantastic game,” he said.
