BY ABBY TORALBA
PLDT began to load and bolster its line-up yesterday for the coming PVL season, tapping Rald Ricafort as its new head coach.
The High Speed Hitters acquired Ricafort to replace George Pascua. PLDT and Pascua parted ways after three conferences.
“We at PLDT are excited to work with a young champion coach in coach Rald,” PLDT/SMART Head of Sports Jude Turcuato said.
“We know he can guide our players to the next level. We are always looking to improve and get the best out of our team,” he added.
Before linking up with PLDT, Ricafort served as tactician of Petro Gazz for four years and led the Angels to two straight Reinforced Conference crowns last year.
“I’m very grateful to Petro Gazz sa four years we spent there dahil natulungan nila kami to be the coach that we are today,” Ricafort, who is also the head coach of University of the Philippines men’s volleyball team and an assistant coach of the Fighting Maroons women’s volleyball squad, said.
He shared that PLDT’s “youth movement” plan led him to take on the High Speed Hitters’ job and bared that the negotiations with the team management “happened so fast.”
“Sa binanggit sa akin ng PLDT na they want to have a youth movement beginning with the coach, iyon din nakita ko na direction na dapat i-takbo ng career ko. Tinake ko siya as the perfect opportunity to have a new environment,” he said
Aside from Ricafort, PLDT also tapped Arnold Laniog as its lead assistant coach.
“Having coach Arnold is definitely a big help sa akin as I move to this new environment since kami rin naman iyong magkasama all these years. With him around, there won’t be much of an adjustment sa transition sa gusto nating mangyari sa team,” Ricafort said of Laniog, who previously was the assistant coach of the Angels. “I’m very thankful na kasama ko siya rito.”
In the previous season under Pascua, the High Speed Hitters finished fifth in the Open Conference, fourth in the Invitational Conference, and sixth in the Reinforced Conference.
Although Ricafort admitted that there is pressure in steering PLDT, backed by the MVP Group, he looks forward to taking the role and leading the High Speed Hitters to greater heights.
“Siyempre, nandoon iyong pressure lagi to compete pero sa akin, ma-e-enjoy ko ito.
Knowing history namin sa Petro noon na for three years almost iba-iba iyong lineup… I feel na nag-deliver naman kami noon,” he said. “Dito naman is iyong challenge is to give the extra push to this PLDT team na malakas din naman at maging motivated sila to find their next level.”
