MANILA, Philippines – Regine Diego wraps up a significant first conference with the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers with a bronze medal, as they swept the PLDT High Speed Hitters in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference battle for third on Tuesday.
Serving as head coach for the first time this tournament, Diego steered the Cargo Movers to not only their first semifinals in the league, but also their first podium finish.
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As the first woman head coach in the PVL since it turned pro, Diego hopes to inspire more female coaches to step up to the plate.
"It's actually up and down. May mga moments talaga na sobrang fulfilling, ang happy, ang saya. But there are also moments na parang, you know, you wanna give up. 'Bakit ko pinapahirapan 'yung sarili ko?' I could have stayed where I was before, relax lang. I was living in the island and all," said Diego of her journey so far.
"But the challenge is making me stronger, and I'm happy na I'm the first woman. So, kailangan kong panindigan, 'di ba? Kasi I want women to be here. Not just me, I don't want just to be the only one. I want more women here," she added.
Diego had big shoes to fill as she took over the reins from famed coach Ramil de Jesus, who took a sabbatical from coaching.
Knowing just how high the expectations were, Diego was able to pass the test with flying colors.
But there was much Diego absorbed and learned during her first stint as the Cargo Movers' head coach. Dabbling in the pros for the first time, Diego adjusted to helping them work together.
"Sobrang daming learning, because I have been coaching more than ten years, but I never really coached for pros, or for athletes na 'yung nakapag-collegiate na, mataas na 'yung skills, mataas na 'yung maturity. So ang mga learning is how to connect them all together," said Diego.
"Lahat ng mga — kung ano man sila, kung sino man sila, kung saan sila galing, whoever they are. Kung paano mo sila iko-connect, it's really, really hard."
After much success in her first try into pro coaching, Diego hopes to continue to call the shots for the Cargo Movers in the conferences to come.
"I'm learning, I'm still learning. And hopefully I get to learn more," she said.