Dante Alinsunurin and Emilio "Kungfu" Reyes Jr. live and breathe volleyball, and their whirlwind weekend was a testament to that unwavering dedication.
In a relentless display of commitment to their craft, the two seasoned tacticians crisscrossed the country to fulfill their coaching duties in both the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) and the UAAP. Reyes traveled from San Juan City to Passi City, while Alinsunurin made the reverse trek from Passi City to Pasay City—all in less than 24 hours.
Alinsunurin, the head coach of Choco Mucho in the PVL and National University (NU) in the UAAP, found himself in a tight spot as the Flying Titans battled Chery Tiggo in the final day of the preliminary round at the City of Passi Arena on Saturday. Meanwhile, Reyes, who leads the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Golden Tigresses and serves as an assistant coach for Chery Tiggo, had to manage his commitments on two different islands within mere hours.
The Grueling Balancing Act
After leading Choco Mucho to a gritty 25-18, 25-23, 26-24 win over the Crossovers—their sixth straight victory in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference—Alinsunurin caught an early 5:30 AM flight back to Manila. His mission? To guide the NU Bulldogs in a crucial UAAP men’s volleyball match against Far Eastern University at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. However, despite his best efforts, NU fell short in a heartbreaking 25-27, 14-25, 23-25 loss on Sunday afternoon.
“Siyempre, alam mo naman ako, gusto ko 'yung ginagawa ko dahil sa nangyayari na 'to kasi sobra pa 'kong nagiging eager pa matuto, maglaro sa mga ganito,” Alinsunurin shared after Choco Mucho’s victory in Passi. "Kasi 'yung volleyball, nag-i-start nang umangat nang umangat. Feeling ko isa kami sa mga tao na nagiging parte para umangat yung volleyball dito."
For Reyes, the weekend was even more chaotic. UST had an intense four-set battle against the University of the East at the Filoil EcoOil Centre on Saturday afternoon, securing a 28-26, 22-25, 25-23, 25-15 win. But there was no time to celebrate. Reyes had to immediately rush to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to catch his 3:45 PM flight to Iloilo for Chery Tiggo’s 6:30 PM PVL game.
Adding to the drama, his flight was delayed to 5:00 PM. Yet, against all odds, he still managed to arrive in time for the second set of Chery Tiggo’s match, stepping into a packed City of Passi Arena just as the action was heating up.
“Ano naman yun, same with other coach kami nila Sherwin kasi nasa collegiate na rin sila, si coach Dante. Siguro yung passion and commitment lang. Kahit tanungin mo kung napapagod ba kami or ano, parang lifestyle na siya so used to it,” said Reyes, acknowledging Alinsunurin and Creamline-NU women’s coach Sherwin Meneses.
“Again passion and commitment lang din naman. Siyempre ito yung kinabubuhay din namin and siyempre dedication din. Talagang nakakapagod sa katawang lupa mo pero yung spirit mo, yung love of the game sa mga fans makikita mo rin.”
A Testament to Volleyball’s Growth
For these veteran mentors, the exhaustion was secondary to the growth of Philippine volleyball. The PVL’s three provincial playdates in the conference were all sellouts, and the crowd’s energy reaffirmed their belief in the sport’s rise.
“Siyempre, ako naman, sobrang thankful sa response talaga ng mga fans dito. 'Di lang Choco Mucho, siyempre PVL kasi nakita mo naman, kahit sinong team sinusuportahan talaga. Sobrang thankful ako sa people of Passi, talagang suportado 'yung volleyball,” Alinsunurin remarked, acknowledging the passionate Ilonggo fans who turned out in droves.
Reyes echoed the sentiment, emphasizing how the sport’s evolution fuels their drive. “Yung katawang lupa lang yung napapagod pero yung morale mo saka yung spirit mo na makita mo how volleyball is now. Nung dati kami kami lang, ito mas maganda yung na-eexplore namin habang kaya pa ng katawan, banat lang nang banat. Kapag hindi na kaya, that’s the time na pahinga ka na ganon lang naman yun.”
