Since joining the UE Lady Warriors coaching staff, Asaka Tamaru has been giving Casiey Dongallo some pointers to further help her game.
Despite another lost season for the University of the East, the Lady Warriors showed their potential in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament in the form of super rookie Casiey Dongallo.
The 5-foot-10 outside hitter has been giving it her all for UE, leading the team in the scoring department with a total of 263 points, the second-best in the league.
Given her sky-high potential, it’s only right that the Lady Warriors made sure to surround their gem of a spiker with the proper coaching staff.
Aside from interim coach Obet Vital leading the way for UE, the Recto-based squad also decided to add Kurashiki Ablaze deputy coach Shota Sato and 2023 PVL Invitational Conference Best Outside Spiker Asaka Tamaru to the coaching staff.
[ALSO READ: UAAP: UE adds Kurashiki Ablaze's Asaka Tamaru to Lady Warriors coaching staff]
When asked about the addition of Tamaru, who plays the same position as her, Dongallo admitted not knowing the Japanese spiker at first but was amazed when she showed off her skills in training.
“To be honest, nung una hindi ko siya kilala tapos nung dumating lang sila, pinakilala sila tapos 'yung mga ates ko lang din nag-sabi na siya 'yung nag-Best Outside Hitter nung PVL,” Dongallo told One Sports.
“Nung nalaman ko 'yun parang ang saya kasi naki-training din siya sa amin tapos nakita namin 'yung mga palo niya parang ang ganda tas parang na-motivate din ako kasi sabi ko sa sarili ko, gusto ko din maging ganun kay coach kasi parang ang galing niya lang knowing na hindi siya ganun katangkad pero ang galing niya pumalo,” she added.
Dongallo also shared some of the lessons she has learned from Tamaru ever since the Kurashiki star joined the UE coaching staff.
“Lagi niya sinasabi sakin na dapat marunong ako magpa-check kasi ayun nga, hindi naman ako katangkaran, so hindi dapat ako makipag-against sa blockers,” said Dongallo. “As a hitter na maliit, kailangan ko matuto magpa-check talaga kasi ganun din daw sila sa Japan. Maliliit sila pero they know how to use the blockers.”
But of course, it’s not just Dongallo who has been learning a lot from Sato and Tamaru.
The entire Lady Warriors have been learning the Japanese way of training, which has proven to be effective especially in international competitions.
“Since parang nakakaramdam na kami ng training ng Japan versus training sa amin, parang sa Japan feeling ko we really have to give our all talaga. Kahit training palang ibigay mo na lahat kasi pag binigay mo na lahat sa training, pag-dating sa game parang madali nalang,” said Dongallo.
With just a game left in their Season 86 campaign, Dongallo will look to lead UE to victory once more as they face the University of the Philippines this weekend. But for next season and beyond, Casiey and the Lady Warriors may have just already banked a few more Ws with the knowledge gained from the Ablaze.