National team mainstay Kim Malabunga knows a bright future awaits as Italian coach Angiolino Frigoni begins the great work for Alas Pilipinas.
It was last June that Angiolino Frigoni was named head coach of the Alas Pilipinas men’s team, bringing in a high-level mentor who guided his native Italy to the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
The Italian’s work is just beginning with the Philippines, as he just debuted with the Nationals in the SEA V.League last August. Still, it’s a good start, with the Nationals winning a pair of bronze medals to come back from a winless campaign in 2023.
Alas men’s mainstay Kim Malabunga was the latest to vouch for Frigoni, noting his detailed and situational coaching. That, alongside learning international-level tactics from Frigoni’s decades of experience.
Frigoni also handled the Netherlands national team in the early 2000s, and had club team stints in Europe afterwards.
“‘Yung kay Coach [Angiolino], sobrang strict kasi niya ngayon. Parang first time namin maka-encounter ng ganung coach. Pero dahil nga high level ‘yung coach na ‘yun, so parang kailangan din namin i-adapt para mas tumaas pa ‘yung men’s volleyball sa Pilipinas,” Malabunga shared during the Alas Pilipinas Invitationals press conference.
“‘Yung parang ganun, [you will be more motivated na magpalakas talaga. Kasi kailangan parang may patunayan ka sa kanya, parang ganun yung nangyayari. Kung gusto mo makalaro, patunayan mo na gusto mo talaga makalaro.”
Malabunga is one of five holdovers from the Philippines’ 2019 SEA Games team that won a historic silver medal on home soil. At the time, the Nationals upset four-time defending champs Thailand to enter the gold medal match against Indonesia.
But a rollercoaster ride followed once the pandemic hit. Dante Alinsunurin’s time came to an end after the Vietnam SEA Games in 2022, and was followed by Odjie Mamon, and eventually Brazilian Sergio Veloso until Frigoni’s appointment in July.
“Actually, noong 2019, okay din naman. Siguro kung hindi lang nag-pandemic, tuloy-tuloy pa rin. Tapos nagdagagan nang bagong coach, bagong [players] siguro, mas mataas na siguro ngayon,” he said.
Today, the future is just as bright under Frigoni. The work is only beginning, but Malabunga knows how the present, and future aces of Philippine volleyball will benefit once they’ve settled into the Italian’s program.
“‘Yung talagang gusto niyang ipagawa sa amin, hindi pa totally namin nagagawa. Syempre, kailangan talaga ng step-by-step kasi hindi naman kaya ng ilang months lang yun…Pero long-term, siguro ‘yung mga papasok, mas magbe-benefit talaga sila sa program ni coach Angiolino,” he said.
Stepping stone
2024 marks Alas mens’ long buildup for the FIVB Men’s World Championship homestand in September next year. Following their two-day exhibition against Osaka Bluteon, the Nationals will head to Italy for a two-week training camp, and series of friendly matches with Italian club teams.
Within this leadup, Malabunga and Alas hopes to build on Angiolino Frigoni’s international-level teachings. Frigoni’s teachings have already paid off with Malabunga, with the veteran winning Best Middle Blocker in the SEA V.League’s first leg.
Sharing more about what he has learned from Frigoni so far, Malabunga shared, “Kung paano yung sa blockings and patterns sa defense. And, pinakamahalaga ‘yung sa serve. Serve talaga yung talagang…mostly inimprove namin kasi kailangan talaga sa international level, serve talaga para mas madali ma-block.”
At the same time, there’s the need to polish their individual skills. “Then, para pag malapit na yung laro, pag samasamahin na lang yung mga isang galaw na lang para ready tayo sa mga sunod na games,” he added.
Banner image from the Southeast Asian Volleyball Association on Facebook.