Bea de Leon and the rest of the Choco Mucho crew are excited to put into action inside the court a fresh system under multi-titled coach Dante Alinsurin.
The middle blocker is stoked for the promising campaign of the Flying Titans in the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference unfurling on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“I think for this conference we’re definitely looking at the podium finish and with our new coach we’re confident we’ll be able to reach that goal,” De Leon said.
Alinsunurin, the architect of the Philippine men’s team’s silver medal finish in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, officially took over the coaching reins for Choco Mucho in early January as a replacement for interim coach Edjet Mabbayad.
The Flying Titans parted ways with Oliver Almadro in the middle of last year’s Reinforced Conference when he resigned from his post citing his interest to focus on Ateneo de Manila University’s women’s volleyball program ahead of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 85.
Mabbayad then called the shots for the Flying Titans, who finished the nine-club field, import-laden tournament in seventh place with a 3-5 win-loss record.
Almadro, meanwhile, accepted a coaching stint with Reinforced Conference champion Petro Gazz.
A soft-spoken but heady tactician, Alinsunurin is expected to bring the same magic that brought success to the national team and National University in the UAAP, Spikers’ Turf and other amateur leagues.
This, however, is Alinsunurin’s first women’s club coaching job.
De Leon said that the Flying Titans are adjusting well to the system of Alinsunurin, who was recently relieved of his national team duties by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation despite his accomplishments and dedication to the country’s cause citing “schedule management issues” as he is concurrently handling two club teams and a college squad.
“So far, I think we’re adjusting really well (to his system). He’s a very quiet man but he teaches very well,” De Leon said.
“So hopefully, little by little in time for this season we’ll be able to absorb all of it.”
“We wish we had a bit more time (to prepare), but everyone’s on the same boat. So, little by little, I think it’s coming together in training.”
Despite letting go of a few players including Pauline Gaston, who transferred to Chery Tiggo, Choco Mucho is parading an almost intact lineup led by Kat Tolentino, Isa Molde, Des Cheng, Denden Lazaro-Revilla, Cherry Nunag, setter Deanna Wong and Maddie Madayag.
The Flying Titans begin its campaign on Saturday against Akari.
