By: Jan Marcus Montevirgen
Moments after Fnatic ONIC Philippines claimed its first-ever championship title, their country manager Raff Sanchez burst into tears, reflecting on his nine-season journey with the organization, which had finally paid off.
Sanchez’s most unforgettable moment came during the Grand Finals of MPL Philippines Season 14, when ONIC bested Aurora in a thrilling seven-game series, 4-3, on October 20.
Speaking to the media last November 16, Raff revealed that if he hadn’t secured a title for ONIC last season, he would have resigned.
“Kase I have been with ONIC since Season 5, and I’ve been in since the OhMyV33NUS era, the Kairi-Dlar era, Monster Anarchy, and now Lazy Esports. And during all those times, my personal gripe was that I never gave the organization a championship,” he said during the group interview.
“So, I thought it would take maybe 10 more seasons before I could get a championship. I was very open with the players and my bosses in Indonesia this season. I told them, ‘I feel like I’m wasting time here, and I feel like I’m losing ONIC.’ I said, ‘If I don’t win this season, I’ll resign,'” he continued.
Head coach Anthony “Ynot” Senedrin and the players were fully aware of Sanchez’s resolve, which served as the ultimatum that motivated the entire team to push even harder, ultimately securing the championship title he had long desired.
“Fired up syempre. Kase nakikita mo yung isang tao na naging passionate for so long falling short. Pero alam mong he has the heart para makuha yon (championship) eh. It’s just that yung mga pieces hindi pa buo in the past, perhaps,” Ynot said.
“Kumbaga as a player, as a friend, andyan ka para gawin lahat para ma-achieve yung goal niyo. Kase pare-pareho lang naman yung goal at the end eh. So yun nga tulad ng sinabi ni Sir Raff, lahat nag-meet sa gitna kase eh, kumbaga pare-pareho lang naman lahat ng gustong mangyari,” he continued.
How Did Raff Make Fnatic ONIC Philippines a Champion? By Giving Them Freedom
For Sanchez, the secret to ONIC’s success lay in empowering the players. Understanding the team’s needs, particularly when it came to balancing work and rest, played a pivotal role in their triumph.
Managing a team of young players, many of whom were under 21 years old, was no easy feat. But Sanchez’s approach was rooted in empathy. He took the time to listen to what his players valued most—freedom and autonomy.
“I think what’s really important is you have to really listen to the team. Kase ang daming mga things na naibibigay, for example, there are things like extra-curricular activities, management, bonding, mga ganon,” Sanchez said.
“Pero we din realize kase sa players is kung ano yung nagma-matter sa kanila. Kase at the end of the day, they just want to play. They just only want to think about playing and playing is the only thing to do 24/7,” he continued.
Sanchez recognized that for these young athletes, playing was not just a job—it was their passion.
The freedom given by Raff became a crucial factor in ONIC’s success. He created an environment where the players and coaches could perform at their best.
“Kaya we give them the leeway to do what they think is necessary, without them thinking only about playing and giving them that freedom. Kase parang when you start giving them that freedom to do so, yung initiative nila to play, kase nabibigyan namin sila ng kani-kanilang oras to do what they want to do, mas lalo slang ginaganahan maglaro,” he concluded.
