Ateneo's coach Tai and the birth of #heartstrong
First-year Ateneo coach Anusorn “Tai” Bundit was supposed to attend a high school reunion in his homeland Thailand on Saturday. However, he was not allowed by team manager Tony Boy Liao as the Lady Eagles were still facing the ‘four-peat’-gunning La Salle Lady Spikers for the UAAP Season 76 women’s volleyball crown.
As it turned out, Bundit, 46, and the rest of the Ateneans were due for a bigger celebration.
With the Lady Eagles thriving anew in a do-or-die situation, Bundit steered Ateneo to greater heights after completing its masterful conquest of the Ramil de Jesus-mentored La Salle behind a 25-23, 26-24, 25-21 victory in their winner-take-all match on Saturday at the jampacked Mall of Asia Arena.
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The victory, witnessed live by more than 21, 000 fans at the sprawling Pasay City-based venue, enabled the Lady Eagles to avenge their back-to-back finals defeats to the Lady Spikers the past two seasons while hoisting the crown that proved to be elusive since joining the league in 1978.
And the cheerful Bundit, who took over the job left by Roger Gorayeb who decided to solely focus on his alma mater team, the San Sebastian Lady Stags in the NCAA, certainly proved his worth in his initial foray in the country.
“Today, I’m really happy because we are now the champions,” said the coach, who regaled fans with his little dance every time the Lady Eagles would score a crucial point. “The team has unity and heart-strong.”
But Liao, who serves as the team’s chief patron, believes Bundit’s positive character on the sidelines also played a major factor in the Lady Eagles’ marvelous title run that saw also them upstage fourth-ranked Adamson in a knockout match and second-seed National U which held a twice-to-beat bonus in the step-ladder semifinals.
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“’Yung gusto ng mga players, everytime na nakaka-iskor sila ng point, nakikita ‘yun ginagawa niya na tumatakbo-takbo sa bench. Kaya itong mga bata natutuwa rin at nai-inspire du’n sa ginagawa niya. Kaya ‘yung mga players, todo inspired talaga,” said Liao.
According to Liao, Bundit, who also handles the Team B of Thailand’s national team and a professional squad in the country’s premier volleyball league, planned to stay for just five months to help the rebuilding process of the Lady Eagles, who lost five key players and were composed mostly of rookies this season.
Ateneo, however, showed vast improvement and even staved off elimination games with regularity, including a thrilling five-set victory in Game 3 last Wednesday also at the MOA Arena where they overhauled an 8-12 deficit in the fifth frame and, in the process, forced the sudden-death match.
Had the Lady Eagles lost it, Bundit was already eager to fly back to Bangkok to meet his high school mates for their 25th graduation anniversary.
“Actually, last week, tumawag na sa’kin ‘yung Thailand volleyball federation at nakiusap ako na kung pwede tapusin na muna ‘yung liga. Nu’ng March 3 pa talaga siya naka-book ng flight pauwi kaso nausog ng nausog dahil nanalo rin kami ng nanalo sa semifinals. Kung natalo kami last Wednesday, gusto na niyang umuwi last Friday kasi (high school) reunion nila. Kaso sabi ko, ‘Hindi ka pwedeng umuwi dahil may laro pa tayo,'” Liao said.
Now that get he has gotten the job done, Bundit can go back to Thailand but his “victory run” will always remain in the minds of the Lady Eagles and their faithful.
