By Paul David L. Gelario
Banko Perlas’ head coach Ariel dela Cruz believes that his team’s time to shine in the Premier Volleyball League will come.
And he is willing to wait.
“It takes time for a team to succeed,” Dela Cruz told reporters at a press conference and Fans Day held at Kuya J’s KIA Theatre, Cubao, Quezon City.
The team’s successful run in the 2018 PVL Reinforced Conference, where it bagged third place, even surpassed Dela Cruz’s expectations.
“We had a great run. Actually I didn’t expect our team to win third place. We took the conference one step at a time, and being in the semi-finals proved our determination. Throughout our journey, our fans have consistently supported us” Dela Cruz said.
Despite the absence of star players, Banko Perlas’ key to winning, according to Dela Cruz, is the contribution of the entire roster.
“Wala kaming gaanong star players. Kaya lahat sila dapat mag-contribute,” he said.
The players also share the same disposition with Dela Cruz; “Two years pa lang kaming magkakasama [We are only two years together], we need to build a strong relationship with the team,” the team’s open hitter Dzi Gervacio said.
Utility spiker Amanda Villanueva shrugged off any high expectations of the team, saying. “As much as possible we try to enjoy the game.”.
The team will conduct volleyball clinics in several provinces such as Iloilo, Bacolod, Butuan, Surigao, Agusan, Laoag, and Vigan to instill the sport into the community. The team will then participate in an international tournament in Vin Lonh, Vietnam.
“We want to let our supporters know that it will not be possible to get to where we are now without them rallying behind us. Now that the PVL has ended, we want to reach out to them to thank them for their support and inspire them to push boundaries. We also want to spread the love for volleyball to as many people in the provinces through our volleyball clinics,” Dela Cruz said.
The team’s long-time partner, BPI Direct BanKo (BanKo), shares the same vision of reaching out to the grassroots.
“BanKo chose to partner with the Perlas Spikers, because we share similar goals to support and accelerate the grassroots program—to engage them and help them grow to the next level,” said BanKo President Jerome B. Minglana.
To get updates on BanKo Perlas Spikers’ activities and partnerships, search and follow @perlasspikers on Twitter and Instagram.