The Perpetual Help community is mourning the passing of multi-titled veteran volleyball coach Sinfronio “Sammy” Acaylar on Thursday morning, January 30, 2025, five days before his 67th birthday.
Sam, as he was fondly called by his players, suffered a stroke early Monday and was confined at the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Perpetual Help Medical Center in Alabang-Zapote road, Pamplona III, Las Piñas City, where he succumbed at 1:30 a.m. on Thursday due to cardiac arrest.
Acaylar was known for his unprecedented 14 NCAA Men’s Volleyball Titles since 1985.
He was the architect of the dominance of the Perpetual Help Men’s Volleyball Team in the NCAA. Under his tutelage, the team ruled the league as champions from 1985 to 1990, 2010 to 2014, 2015-2015, 2017 to 2020, and 2022 to 2024. During these years, coach Sam was named Coach of the Year.
He was also coach of the Cignal HD Spikers from 2013 to 2016 and the Philippine Men’s Volleyball Team in 1991, 2009, 2017 and 2019.
He was part of the coaching staff of Russian coach Stanislav Lugailo when the national women’s volleyball team won its last gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games in Singapore in 1993.
In 2017, he became the Altas’ sports director.
Coach Sam’s remains will lie in state at the Perpetual Help Chapel inside the Las Piñas City campus for six days before being taken to his hometown in Cagayan de Oro City.