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UAAP 82: Coach hails graduating Risa Sato as NU's rock

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/sports/03/07/20190716-risa-sato.jpg"/><figcaption>NU team captain Risa Sato. Arvin Lim, ABS-CBN Sports</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines -- In her final season with National University, Fil-Japanese middle blocker Risa Sato has embraced a role somewhat unfamiliar to her -- that of being the team&#x27;s captain.Sato sat out the UAAP Season 81 women&#x27;s volleyball tournament due to academic deficiencies, but returned this year to be the veteran leader of a young but promising NU squad. They made an immediate statement in their very first game of Season 82, when they stunned last year&#x27;s runners-up, University of Santo Tomas, in five sets.Sato scored 17 points, including 7 blocks, in a come-from-behind 22-25, 25-23, 20-25, 25-20, 15-23 triumph.&quot;Before game pa, sobrang excited ako,&quot; said Sato. &quot;And then, pag laro na, tingin ko sila isa-isa… control &#x27;yung sarili lahat, at enjoy po.&quot; Her brand of leadership was evident in the first game, as she repeatedly told her teammates to smile even when they committed errors, and was the first to celebrate when they scored. In the fifth set, when they fended off the Tigresses&#x27; last-ditch rally, Sato kept her younger teammates calm.&quot;Guys, laban. Laban, laban,&quot; she said of her message. &quot;&#x27;Yun lang sinasabi ko sa kanila. Tsaka &#x27;happy, happy.&#x27;&quot;Head coach Norman Miguel is delighted at how Sato has fully embraced the responsibilities given to her, including taking charge in the game for their young team.&quot;Kapag crunch time, siya yung nilalapitan ng mga players. Siya yung rock, kumbaga. &#x27;Sa&#x27;yo kami sasandal &#x27;pag ganitong mga sitwasyon&#x27;,&quot; he said.But Sato&#x27;s impact as team captain extends far beyond the court. Miguel gives plenty of credit to the veteran for making their jobs as coaches easier by serving as an example to the Lady Bulldogs when it comes to discipline and work ethic.For instance, Miguel revealed that it was Sato who implemented a &quot;mop system&quot; in the squad after a taraflex court was installed in NU&#x27;s gym.&quot;Lahat ng players may sariling basahan, so every time may pawis sa floor, automatic mga players namin nagma-mop. Basta organized lahat ng kilos namin sa team, at siya ang nag-instill noon,&quot; he said of Sato.&quot;Nakabawas sa part ng coaches yung pagdi-disiplina. Sa kanya pa lang, nafi-filter na yung medyo mali na nangyayari,&quot; he added. &quot;We credit so much sa changes sa team because of the system na ginawa ni Risa as the team captain.&quot;To him, this is just one proof of how seriously Sato takes her job -- a responsibility that she takes pride in as it shows how far she has come since she first came to the Philippines. &quot;Noong in-announce namin siya kay Risa, sobra siyang naging proud -- naging happy siya,&quot; Miguel recalled. &quot;Sabi niya, &#x27;Noong unang dumating ako sa Philippines kasi, mag-isa lang ako tapos puro Philippine players. Always follow lang ako ng follow. Follow lang ng follow. Ngayon, this time naman, at least ako na ang makakapag-share&#x27;,&quot; he added.Communication was a massive issue for Sato in her first few years in the Philippines, as she struggled to talk in both English and Filipino. She has made enormous strides since then, now comfortably holding conversations in Filipino. Now, being called &quot;ate&quot; by the younger NU players is a badge of honor for her.&quot;(As the) ate… kailangan talaga ako na mag-work,&quot; she says. &quot;Inisip ko kasi baka kinakabahan siya, mga rookies, so ako na lang, &#x27;Happy, happy, smile, smile&#x27; sa kanila.&quot; Miguel has no doubts that Sato&#x27;s impact will only grow as the season goes on, as she tries to lead the Lady Bulldogs back into the upper echelon of the UAAP after missing the Final 4 last year.&quot;Feeling ko dahil fifth year na niya tapos comeback pa niya, tapos senior pa siya, parang gusto niyang may iiwan siyang legacy sa team eh,&quot; he said. &quot;Parang gusto niya ga-graduate yung Risa Sato sa NU as, you know, someone na talagang may iniwang legacy na iniwan para sa NU.&quot;For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="https://sports.abs-cbn.com/">ABS-CBN Sports website</a>.

In her final season at NU, Fil-Japanese middle blocker Risa Sato has embraced a role somewhat unfamiliar to her -- that of being the team's captain.

In her final season at NU, Fil-Japanese middle blocker Risa Sato has embraced a role somewhat unfamiliar to her -- that of being the team's captain.

UAAP 82: Coach hails graduating Risa Sato as NU's rock

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UAAP 82: Coach hails graduating Risa Sato as NU's rock

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 08, 2020 01:02 AM PHT

Read More:

UAAP 82

UAAP Season 82

UAAP women's volleyball

National University

Risa Sato

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