Why this championship was toughest to win for DLSU coach Ramil De Jesus

Naveen Ganglani

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Why this championship was toughest to win for DLSU coach Ramil De Jesus

Martin San Diego

La Salle's 11-3 record was worse than in the two previous years when they had lost in the finals. Coach De Jesus credits that to the rise in competition in the UAAP

MANILA, Philippines – De La Salle Lady Spikers head coach Ramil De Jesus has quite the impressive resume. 

In 18 years calling the shots for DLSU’s women’s volleyball team, he’s won 9 championships, has made the finals 6 other times, and compiled a 232-62 record.

But after winning his most recent championship following La Salle’s Game 3 win over Ateneo on Saturday, April 30, De Jesus admitted that his latest feat has been the most difficult in his career.

Pinaka mahirap itong year na ‘to, kasi very competitive lahat nang teams,” said the head coach inside the press room of the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

(This year was the most difficult, because all teams were very competitive.)

[Hindi] tulad nung dati, ilan lang, bibilangin mo lang na, ah, ito, team to beat. Ah, ito, malakas ‘to. Ah, ito – ilan lang yun.”

(It wasn’t like before when you could count the teams to beat.)

DLSU’s elimination round record in Season 78, 11-3, is actually lower than its 12-2 record last season and 14-0 record from two years ago when their teams fell in the finals to Ateneo. 

That’s because the rest of the league has improved, and that was clear when the Lady Spikers lost to NU and UST in the eliminations and to FEU in the first game of their Final Four matchup.

Even yung UE (1-13), hindi mo pwedeng lokohin,” said De Jesus. “Adamson, UST, lahat. Tinalo nga kami nang UST.

(Even UE, you couldn’t joke around with them. Adamson, UST, everyone. We were even defeated by UST.)

Ito yung pinakamahirap at pinakamasarap.”

(This was the most difficult and the best.)

Despite the challenges from the rest of the league and of having to take down Ateneo, De Jesus’ team was able to finish the volleyball season on top of the food chain once again.

Actually very proud ako sakanila,” De Jesus said about his Lady Spikers, “kasi since nung nag start after nang Season 77, nakita nila yung gano ka sakit yung matalo, then nag start kami nang training.”

(Actually I’m very proud of them, because since the start after UAAP Season 77, they felt how painful it was to lose, then we started training.)

Without Ara Galang, La Salle was swept by Ateneo in the 2015 finals, finishing in second place to its rival a second straight year.

Whole year, pinaghandaan talaga nila. Nakatatak sa puso nila at sa isip nila yung dapat nilang gawin.

(The whole year, they really prepared. Their hearts were into it and they thought about what they had to do.)

And one of the things they had to do was simple, says De Jesus: “[Sa] itong year na ‘to, hindi sila magpapatalo.”

(This year, they weren’t going to allow themselves to lose.) – Rappler.com


MORE UAAP WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL FINALS COVERAGE:

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