Tai Bundit's return boosts Creamline Cool Smashers

MANILA, Philippines – Small but important pointers from returning head coach Tai Bundit were key in helping the Creamline Cool Smashers bag their third consecutive win in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference, skipper Alyssa Valdez said on Saturday. 

Emerging victorious in four sets against a young Motolite squad, the Cool Smashers gave Bundit a fitting debut.

“Coach Tai was really specific in his instructions… mga little things talaga na akala namin hindi siya makakatulong but at the end of the day when you add it up, yun pala yung makakapagpapanalo sa amin,” Valdez said. 

“Yung akala mo walang instruction na binibigay si Coach Tai pero meron talaga... yung mga maliliit pero very important,” she added. 

Bundit, who had previously coached the defending champions, left the Philippines for his home country Thailand, only to come back mid-season after the dismissal of former Cool Smashers head coach Li Huanning.

With Bundit back in the game, the Cool Smashers will see a return to the happy and “heartstrong” mantra that the coach has been famous for instilling in his players in the past. 

“We’re trying to adapt sa pagbabalik niya sa system niya and I think more than ever we have to bring back the happy mantra and the ‘heartstrong’ mantra of Coach Tai because I think yan yung pinaka-crucial and key in this season,” Valdez said.

“Lahat ng teams malalakas... but at the end of the day...  if we play happy and andoon yung pagiging meron kaming strong hearts.. kaya [namin]… so yun lang talaga, kailangan namin maging consistent sa part na yun and we really have to play hard,” she added.

The Cool Smashers are second in the standings with a 3-1 record. – Michelle Co