Now Ateneo’s head coach, Vince Mangulabnan found himself battling against his former mentor in none other than NU’s Dante Alinsunurin.
Once National University’s star setter and captain, Vince Mangulabnan has since brought his act into coaching with the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the UAAP Men’s Volleyball Tournament, even being promoted as head coach for the ongoing Season 87.
And on Wednesday, he finally went full circle as his Blue Eagles locked horns with the Bulldogs led by his collegiate coach Dante Alinsunurin at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
More often than not, players face their former coaches while playing for a new team. But in the case of Mangulabnan and Alinsunurin, it was two head coaches trying to steer their respective teams into victory.
“Nakakakaba pala talaga. I mean, totoo! Nakakakaba siya, sobrang nakaka-excite kasi sabi ko nga isa siya sa mga nilulook up ko talaga na coach,” Mangulabnan told a select group of reporters. “Kung mapapansin niyo, the way he coaches, ‘yung pagka-relax niya, parang ‘yun ‘yung naging basis ko na dapat pala ‘yung coaching ganito.”
Also part of Mangulabnan’s coaching staff is former teammate Peter Torres, who was equally crucial in NU’s first two UAAP Men’s Volleyball titles under Alinsunurin.
“Medyo hindi naman ginagaya…or sabihin natin ganun na rin. So ayun, masayang masaya ako, madami akong natutunan sa kanya and gusto ko panoorin ‘yung game namin, gusto ko mapakinggan ‘yung timeouts niya at least para di ba? Learning ‘yun samin ni Coach Peter,” added the former national team setter.
Mangulabnan’s Ateneo fell to NU 25-23, 24-26, 25-27, 27-29, but not before giving the defending champs a run for their money throughout the contest. Kennedy Batas top-scored with 21, followed by twin 12-point outings from Jian Salarzon and Brian Castro, and 18 excellent sets from playmaker Lorenzo Gutierrez.
As expected, Alinsunurin was more than proud of his former wards-turned-coaches after an early season acid test.
“Syempre tumatanda na ako! Kasi diba? May player na ako na nagko-coach ngayon na ‘di ko pa ma-imagine nung time na [naglalaro sila]...Sobrang masaya ako sa pagiging coach nila ngayon kasi pinakita nila samin ‘yung gusto nilang mangyari sa team nila and naging maganda ‘yung performance nila,” Alinsunurin said during the post-game.
Informed about his former mentor’s comments, Vince Mangulabnan couldn’t help but feel extra motivated to improve further as a neophyte head coach in the UAAP.
“Syempre nakaka-touch ‘yun kasi ‘yung dati naming mentors ina-acknowledge kami, kasi nga sabi ko sa inyo kung may nilu-look up talaga ako na sundan ng path, that’s Coach Dante. So sobrang proud ako, thank you Coach Dante! Madami ako natutunan sa game na ito, magkikita at babawi kami sayo, coach,” he said.
And as he tries to steer Ateneo back into Final Four contention, Mangulabnan vows to instill a culture of self-learning within the Blue Eagles’ camp, which he considers as his biggest takeaway from his time as Alinsunurin’s most trusted playmaker.
“Gusto ko ‘yung mga bata mismo ‘yung nag-aaral, I mean nagbibigay kami ng perspective namin, ng views namin pero syempre mas maganda pa rin kung sa kanila…In short, self-learning pa,” he explained.
“Yun ‘yung pinaka-nagustuhan ko kay Coach Dante and pinaka-until now, ‘yun ‘yung pinakabinibigay ko sa kanila, ‘yun ‘yung lagi ko binabanggit na iba pa rin, ‘yung self-learn.”
Images courtesy of the UAAP Media Bureau.