FEU Lady Tamaraws rookie Clarisse Loresco receives some wisdom from her head coach Tina Salak.
FEU head coach Tina Salak turned sentimental on Tuesday as she imparted her wisdom on Clarisse Loresco following her inclusion into the 33-woman “wishlist” for the Alas Pilipinas national team.
After all, Salak knows a thing or two about carrying the flag, being a Philippine Army sergeant, and a member of the national team that copped bronze in the 2005 Manila Southeast Asian Games.
Speaking from her own experience, the legendary setter-turned-coach had one simple, but powerful advice for the six-foot-one middle blocker.
“Ang best advice ko sa kanya is i-grab niya ‘yung opportunity. Because hindi lahat nabibigyan ng opportunity na ma-lineup sa Alas, or ma-call for invitation dahil maraming players ang nagho-hope,” Salak said post-game after FEU’s victory over the Ateneo Blue Eagles on Wednesday.
“As an athlete, as a coach, ang best place na mapuntahan is national team. Serving the country — galing ako sa military — medyo mabigat na hindi ka mag-serve or para tanggihan mo ‘yung country mo. Para sa akin, ito ‘yung opportunity na binigay sayo, i-grab mo na.”
Salak, however, acknowledged that being a national team member requires a precarious balancing act, and it will be inevitable for Loresco to miss some time with FEU if she is included in Alas Pilipinas.
It’s going to be a tough transition, sure, but Salak knows that things will eventually sort themselves out for her rookie middle blocker. As she previously said, a national team invite is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity no player should ever pass up.
“Kasi once na-fulfill mo ‘yun sa sarili mo, ang laki ng dream mo, ang laki ng contribution mo sa teammates mo. ‘Yung experience mo sa national team, mae-express mo sa mga teammates mo. So for me, grab lang ng grab kung ano yung meron,” Salak told her homegrown rookie.
“Hindi lahat nabibigyan, but when you miss the opportunity, that’s the end of it.”
Dream come true
Loresco herself shared similar thoughts with Salak, given that a national team call-up has been one of her lifelong dreams as a volleyball player.
“Super happy na sobrang laki ‘yung tiwala at suporta nila sakin, and ‘yung opportunity na ito, iga-grab ko talaga. Sabi nga ni Coach Tina, accept challenges lang talaga and mahirap nga po kung ‘di mo ma-grab ‘yung opportunity,” the FEU-Diliman product said after hearing Salak’s advice.
The 21-year-old is the lone Lady Tamaraw named into the 33-woman wishlist, and joins a group of UAAP stars that includes Adamson super rookie Shaina Nitura, the NU tandem of Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon, and the La Sallian quartet of Angel Canino, Shevana Laput, Amie Provido, and Alleiah Malauan.
But while she’s excited to learn from the country’s finest volleyball stars, Loresco is also making it a point to improve herself further ahead of the national team tryouts.
“Sakin, knowing na nasama ako sa wishlist ng Alas, kailangan ko muna mag-focus sa UAAP and i-work on ‘yung mga kailangan ko i-improve para mag-prepare for tryout po.”
Banner images courtesy of the UAAP Media Bureau.