MANILA, Philippines - Kinuha ng baguhang Cocolife si Tina Salak bilang assistant coach sa pagsabak nito sa 2017 Philippine Superliga (PSL) Invitational Conference na magsisimula sa Sabado sa The Arena sa San Juan City.
Ilang taon ding nagsilbing setter ng Philippine Army si Salak kaya naman malaking tulong ang malalim nitong karanasan upang gabayan ang Cocolife. Makakasama ni Salak si head coach Obet Javier sa tropa.
Pangungunahan ang Cocolife ni Michele Gumabao kasama sina Denise Lazaro, Wensh Tiu, Erika Alkuino, Rosemarie Vargas, Therese Gaston, Eunice Galang, Anne Esguerra, Rhea Ramirez, Jovie Prado, Regine Arocha at Andrea Marzan.
Magbabalik-aksiyon din si dating UAAP Most Valuable Player Iris Ortega-Patrona gayundin si dating La Salle setter Kay Martinez-Daly.
Alam ni Gumabao ang kakayahan ni Salak na siyang tumutulong upang mabuo ang magandang samahan ng grupo.
Naging bahagi si Salak ng women’s national team na nakasungkit ng pilak sa 1995 Southeast Asian Games sa Chiang Mai, Thailand at tanso sa 2005 SEA Games sa Manila.
“Coach Tina’s presence is a necessity in bonding the whole team. Coach Tina is both strict and understanding,” ani Gumabao.
Kasama rin si Salak sa training team ng PSL Manila sa FIVB Women’s Club World Championship noong nakaraang taon.
“The past week, she really taught us a lot as a team and I know in such a short amount of time, we can still be competitive. Coach Tina doesn’t look at anyone in our team any differently. We all go through the same rules and training that makes us one as a team,” dagdag ni Gumabao na tinulungan ang Pocari Sweat na magkampeon sa Open Conference at Reinforced Conference sa Shakey’s V-League bago bumalik sa PSL.
Mapapalaban ang Cocolife sa Cignal, Generika, Petron, Foton at isa pang baguhang Sta. Lucia Land.
“We want to extend our thanks to the Philippine Army for allowing us to borrow coach Tina. At least our team can experience the kind of discipline, the kind of fighting spirit she instills to strive for excellence. Coach Tina and a champion coach in Coach Obet would surely make us very competitive,” sambit ni Cocolife team official Joshua Ylaya. (CCo)