Big expectations abound for any championship-winning tactician, but coach Ricafort is just focusing on the job.
After leading Petro Gazz in its defense of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Reinforced Conference title, head coach Rald Ricafort opened a new chapter this 2023 as head coach of the PLDT High Speed Hitters.
As early as now, the champion coach is facing several layers of challenges.
“Napakaikli ng preparation. I think, parang three weeks lang kaming solid na magkakasama,” he said to One Sports, pertaining to the team's preps for the upcoming All-Filipino Conference on February 4.
But it seems like Ricafort, who is also the coach of the UP men’s volleyball team, loves taking on these challenges.
In an interview with One Sports, Ricafort revealed that was immediately approached by PLDT just a few days after the Reinforced tilt concluded. “After winning the championship, after a few days lang nag-approach agad si PLDT,” the coach said.
That move will mean leaving a championship team in Petro Gazz, and going to a playoff team that hasn’t won any PVL title in PLDT. The High Speed Hitters also lost key cogs in Toni Rose Basas and Heather Guino-o.
Yet, Ricafort took it head on.
“We discussed their direction, so naging tugma naman sa direction ko rin as a coach, so I chose to move here,” he said.
Ricafort is PLDT’s third coach in three seasons, replacing George Pascua. In the previous PVL season, the High Speed Hitters finished 5th in the Open Conference, 4th in the Invitational Conference, and 6th in the Reinforced Conference.
A lot of adjustments will be needed from PLDT given the short bounce back time to the new PVL season, but Ricafort says that this is a good problem for them.
“Sabi ko nung una, may challenge, mahirap pero hindi namin napi-feel yung stress, bad stress, good stress, good problems naman. Talagang tatrabaho lang, masaya kami.”
When asked about his expectations for the upcoming conference, coach Ricafort did not make a forecast of their finish, but promised they will put in the grind.
“May mga key losses pero tatrabahuhin. Tingnan natin kung ano’ng mangyayari.”