‘Lucky charm’ Acaylar eyes PVL success with Gerflor Defenders

MANILA, Philippines – Many-time NCAA volleyball champion coach Sammy Acaylar is aiming to bring his “lucky charm” as a champion to the Premier Volleyball League.

Acaylar, who will be handling the reins for the Gerflor Defenders in the upcoming PVL All-Filipino Conference, said that he is hoping his experience as a champion coach will rub off to the team.

“As a coach of Gerflor, I would like to share my [being a] lucky charm as a champion,” he told reporters Wednesday.

However, the coach acknowledged that that leap would not happen immediately.

Gerflor finished 12th in the league last conference, ending it without a win.
“If we lose, we lose. We are taking things one step at a time for the meantime,” Acaylar said.

“I want my team to enjoy and know me as their head coach,” he added.

Being a first-timer in handling a PVL team, the coach said he is eyeing to bring what he did for his men’s teams to the women’s.

“I know that it will happen when the time comes. That’s why, my theme song is, ‘Pagdating ng Panahon’.”

Acaylar tapped some of his former players into the team, which would bring familiarity.

“What I did was I recruited some players from Perpetual and some players from the military. And I know a lot of them. I handled them already so they know my attitude,” he said.

“But then, I talked to all my players that this is me, this is my system and my style so they have to study it first.”