Tina Salak was a certified winner during her playing days at Far Eastern University.
Now, she will try to be a winner as the head coach of the Lady Tamaraws in the upcoming UAAP Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament.
Salak, who led FEU to back-to-back crowns in Seasons 57 and 58, will face tough competition being a rookie bench tactician at the league’s collegiate level and being the lone female coach in the eight-team field.
“Yung challenge kasi definitely ako yung rookie among other coaches here but I want them also na ma-threaten sa akin, not only matakot sa appearance but also sa program para makuha rin yung respect in a way,” shared Salak.
“Yun din naman yung maganda, nagkakaroon tayo ng respect pero this time kasi rookie year ko ngayon so gusto ko ma-feel nila yung respect na yun or ma-feel ko din sana,” added the FEU legend.
But her coaching résumé does not lack big wins as she guided De La Salle-Zobel to the Season 81 championship in the high school girls division over the long-dominant Nazareth School of National University.
The climb back to the top will be hard after the Lady Tamaraws crashed to dead last in Season 84, causing them to miss the Final Four for the first time since Season 76.
One game at a time would be the approach as usual but one thing Salak assures is this will be a redemption tour for FEU.
“Parang ito yung revenge nila of Season 84 so I’m hoping na magkaroon kami ng magandang run this season and hopefully mai-angat namin iyong ranking,” she said.
The Lady Tamaraws open their campaign on Sunday against Shaq Delos Santos-mentored University of the Philippines at 12 pm at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
