Lady Maroons: Focus on speed, power, accuracy

MANILA, Philippines — New UP coach Godfrey Owese Okumu has put premium on speed, power and accuracy while stressing the need to instill a winning attitude on all his players as the Diliman-based school gears up for the Season 80 of the UAAP women’s volleyball wars in February 2018.

After failing to make the playoffs last year despite a 4-0 start, the Lady Maroons opted to tap the former member of Kenya women’s national team’s coaching staff in the 2006 and 2010 World Championship and 2011 and 2015 World Cup campaigns, looking not only to improve on their Final Four stint in Season 78 but also get a crack at the elusive crown.

With a solid roster, Okumu believes the Lady Maroons have what it takes to measure up with the league’s top teams but stressed the need for his wards to hone their quickness, develop their power and precision during the run-up to the upcoming season.

“Like the other teams, we’re also expecting to win, nothing short of that but we have to work on how to win,” said Okumu, after the ceremonial signing of a three-year partnership between the Lady Maroons and chief backer United Auctioneers, Inc. at the Microtel UP Hub in Quezon City last Nov. 25. 

Also in attendance were UP president Danilo Concepcion, UP varsity sports director Oscar Santelices, United Auctioneers, Inc. president Dominic Sytin, team manager Andrea Lagman, UP Women’s Volleyball Team Alumnae Association, Inc. president Mailet Bonoan-Ancheta and Nowhere to Go But UP Foundation Inc. president Mandy Reyes and the Lady Maroons.

“What I would like to improve is speed, power and accuracy. Basically that’s what makes a team win. If you’re accurate on receiving, spiking and serving, then you can challenge your opponents well,” he added.

Like Okumu, the Lady Maroons brim with confidence as they set out for another campaign with third-year top hitter Tots Carlos citing their familiarity with their new mentor’s style and work ethics.

“We were relieved that we already have a new head coach because we need someone to lead us. We are happy because he is a good coach and we became close already. He is good in motivating players so we are all pushing ourselves. Skills-wise, we are focusing on speed so we have to keep up,” said Carlos.

The 49-year-old Okumu, who also mentored the Hakata Girls High School and the Oita Miyoshi Wieisse Adler pro men’s team in Japan before his Manila stint, had trained Lady Maroons in Japan early in the year for their Season 79 buildup.

“They (Lady Maroons) aren’t strangers to me. We basically know each other well. There’s a lot of good chemistry between me and the players,” said Okumu.

But after a sweep of their first four games last year, the Lady Maroons lost their rhythm and succumbed in the face of the other fancied teams’ surge, ending up with a 7-7 and out of the Final Four.

This time, things are looking up for UP.

But Okumu quickly downplayed their chances this early, saying there are still a lot of work and adjustments to be done to transform the Lady Maroons into a championship-caliber team.