When Regine Diego accepted the head coaching job of F2 Logistics in the Premier Volleyball League, it came with a lot of weight.
Of course, handling the Cargo Movers is pressure-packed with a history of success in their bag in the other league they’ve joined. They have yet to make the podium.
But Diego now also has the honor and responsibility of being the lone female chief tactician in the country’s first and only women’s professional league.
“Syempre I’m happy to be the first,” shared Diego during the PVL All-Filipino Conference press conference on Saturday at the Discovery Suites Manila in Pasig.
“And hopefully not the last,” she quickly continued.
In all of the conferences that the PVL have staged, there are only three women head coaches in Airess Padda (Adamson-Akari/Motolite), Teng Yen-Min (KingWhale Taipei), and now Diego.
In effect, Diego is the first Filipina head coach in all of the league’s Open and Invitational Conferences.
Diego admitted that being the lone rose in a list of men coaches is a challenge – a challenge she’s ready to take and hopefully inspire others to also take the baton, especially in a sport that is often famous for its women’s division.
“I don’t want to be the start, I want to be the spark,” said the decorated head coach.
“But siyempre it’s also very pressuring, it’s also very hard for me rin kasi I have to make a good example to all the women who are supporting Philippine volleyball.”
Diego boasts a loaded résumé. She guided Nazareth School of National University to a season sweep of the UAAP 82 girls’ volleyball tournament. She has also won championships for CALABARZON and National Capital Region (NCR) in the Palarong Pambansa.
She played libero for De La Salle University in her college days under former F2 Logistics head coach Ramil de Jesus.
And this time, she hopes to bring her championship-winning stroke to the Cargo Movers warehouse.
“Hopefully, hopefully we’re doing our best and hopefully a woman can be the last man standing this year.”
