Veteran setter Rhea Dimaculangan tries her hand at coaching amid a break from her playing career.
A familiar face was on the sidelines last February 15 as the UE Red Warriors and UP Fighting Maroons kicked off the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Volleyball tournaments at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
It was legendary UST setter Rhea Dimaculangan, who was named an assistant coach for the UE Red Warriors under Jerome Guhit. The 33-year-old is on a break from playing volleyball, but decided to venture into coaching thanks to her older brother, Ronwald Dimaculangan.
Ronwald has been part of Guhit’s staff since Season 86 following his women’s volleyball stint with the UE Lady Warriors from Seasons 84 to 85.
“Kinausap lang ako ng kuya ko, kasi sa ngayon wala naman akong team sa PVL kasi pahinga muna ako, kasi kakakasal lang namin ng husband ko,” Rhea told The GAME after UE’s season opener against UP. “So tinanggap ko, wala naman sakin mawawala kung tatanggapin ko itong opportunity na dumating. So andito lang ako para tumulong, tsaka super okay naman and nage-enjoy ako.”
“[I joined] before the season, so bago pa lang kasi ‘yun nga, parang biglaan…So learning experience para sakin tsaka malay mo? Hindi natin alam kung ano mangyayari sa future eh, so why not na i-try ko na ngayon,” added Dimaculangan, who married longtime partner Raymond Villarete in June last year.
This also serves as Rhea Dimaculangan’s return to the UAAP, where she made her name as a one-time UAAP champion and Finals Most Valuable Player with the Golden Tigresses. However, this full-circle moment goes beyond returning to a familiar enviroment according to the veteran playmaker.
“Para ulit akong bata! Kasi nung nagstart ako sa volleyball, siya [Ronwald] talaga ‘yung nagtuturo sakin. So parang ngayon, siya ulit ‘yung nagpaexperience sakin, on a different role naman which is an assistant coach,” the former national team setter shared.
She added in jest, “Sa ngayon, ‘di pa naman kami nag-aaway kasi before talagang pinagagalitan niya ako! Pero ngayon mas more on natuto ako and siguro ‘yung pressure mas less kasi kapatid ko si Kuya and mas madali ko siyang nakakausap pag may mga kailangan sakin or gina-guide niya ako.”
Dimaculangan is expected to impart her decades’ worth of knowledge to UE’s men’s volleyball talents, including starting setter Joseph Bicar. And as early as now, she’s taken notice of this team’s dedication and discipline to improving everyday during training.
UE was coming off a loss at the time of the interview, with Rey Piojo and Steve Aligoyon leading the Red Warriors with 22 and 17 points, respectively. Bicar, meanwhile, tossed up 12 excellent sets as the Recto-based spikers failed to prevent UP’s fifth-set rally.
“Makikita mo sa kanila is very dedicated sa ginagawa nila, kumbaga hindi lang para sa sarili nila eh, kundi para na rin sa family nila, para sa school, tsaka mga bata pa. So alam ko na madami pa silang pagdadaanang challenges, and wag lang sila magwatak watak and madadating din ‘yung goal namin which is Final Four muna,” Dimaculangan said.
Though if she’s being honest, Rhea Dimaculangan would rather be on the Taraflex setting the Red Warriors up with her high-level playmaking.
“Mas nakakakaba compared sa pagiging player, kasi pag nasa labas ka ng court parang gusto mo ikaw na ‘yung maglaro e! Pero syempre, ‘di pwede kaya andon ka lang para pakalmahin ‘yung mga bata, na i-guide lang sila,” she said.
Dimaculangan had this to say about a potential PVL comeback: “Let’s see, pwede, pwede naman! Kasi so far naman ngayon more on pahinga. Siguro na-miss ko nang konti si volleyball, pero binigyan ko lang din talaga ng time ‘yung family ko ngayon.”
“And tignan natin kung may darating na opportunity, why not na iga-grab [ko] ulit ‘yung opportunity na ‘yon.”
Images courtesy of the UAAP Media Bureau.