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FEU's Manolo Refugia

Romwel Anzures

ABS-CBN News

<div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px"><span></span><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1715273539672IMG_3816.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The FEU Lady Tamaraws. <em>Photo from UAAP Media.</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The FEU Lady Tamaraws exceeded expectations despite their UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball Final Four exit.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/5/8/lady-bulldogs-clinch-third-straight-finals-appearance-at-lady-tams-expense-1944">READ: National U dismisses FEU for 3rd straight Finals appearance</a></div><p>The Morayta-based spikers -- who won only one game just two seasons ago -- put themselves among the league&#x27;s best squads alongside the NU Lady Bulldogs, the UST Golden Tigresses, and the De La Salle Lady Spikers.</p><p>They even managed to stun NU in the first game of their semifinals clash in a sweep, but they lost steam last Wednesday as Bella Belen and the rest of the Lady Bulldogs retaliated with their own straight-sets victory over FEU.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px"><span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1715273390287IMG_3815.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="FEU head coach Manolo Refugia. Photo from UAAP Media."/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">FEU head coach Manolo Refugia. <em>Photo from UAAP Media.</em></span></span></span></div><p>Still, Lady Tams head coach Manolo Refugia was proud of how they competed and performed in Season 86.</p><p>“Grateful ako sa sakripisyo,” the rookie mentor told ABS-CBN News.</p><p>“Kasi ayun nga, yung sinasabi nila Tin [Ubaldo] na Season 84. Andun na ako, sabay-sabay kami, nakita ko yung sakripisyo niila, yung struggles, yung from scratch to ngayon.”</p><p>”Napaka thankful ako kasi ang layo ng narating namin, at may mararating pala kami na sabay sabay,” he continued.</p><p>But before he witnessed the down years and helped orchestrate FEU&#x27;s turnaround in women&#x27;s volleyball, Refugia -- who played setter for the Tamaraws in his collegiate years -- was already outside of volleyball completely.</p><p>“Nag Maynilad ako before. Zone Specialist ako. Two years ko dun, regular job siya, full-time na nandoon ako,” said Refugia, who graduated with a degree in Tourism in 2014.</p><p>“Pero talaga iba talaga yung bugso ng volleyball.”</p><p>“Cinontact ako ni Coach George [Pascua], naghahanap sila sa FEU women’s ng staff. Ang nangyari, sakto nun, kaka-resign ko lang ng mga ilang weeks. Tumawag sila, hindi ko pa ba iga-grab? Kasi nga siyempre, masaya ako sa volleyball talaga.”</p><div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="3033280"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script></div><p>And now that he has made his return to the sport, Refugia, being the setter that he has always been, is now tossing his smarts and life lessons to the newest set of Lady Tamaraws.</p><p>“Iba pala yung feeling ng nagtuturo ka kaysa naglalaro ka. Although masaya yung naglalaro, pero mas masarap at mas fulfilling sa age ko na makapag turo ako at mabigay ko kung ano yung knowledge ko sa laro, kung ano yung values na dapat nilang matutunan hindi lang sa volleyball kundi pati sa buhay.”</p><p>Refugia, who was appointed as head coach when Tina Salak stepped down in June 2023, revealed the approach that he implemented on their return to relevance.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/06/16/23/tina-salak-steps-down-as-feu-coach-to-migrate-to-us">READ: Tina Salak steps down as FEU coach to migrate to US</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/2/19/new-feu-coach-refugia-grateful-for-tina-salak-s-guidance-1229">READ: New FEU coach Refugia grateful for Tina Salak’s guidance</a></div><p>“It’s all about mindset every game eh. Ako kasi, hindi ko tinitignan yung susunod na kalaban. Kung sino yung present na kalaban, dun tayo magfo-focus,” bared Refugia.</p><p>“Pag aralan natin. [Regardless] kung maganda yung kalalabasan or pangit, kailangan may natutunan. Continuous learning talaga.”</p><p>Moving forward, Refugia said that their present heartbreak will be of great lesson for them especially since they will be parading a relatively intact core next year.</p><p>“Etong experience namin, marami kang babaunin. Etong experience namin sa Final Four, experience namin sa eliminations, pwede namin yung gamitin. Kung sino man yung mga players na dadating samin na bago, then same core pa din naman kami, malaking baon yun para sa susunod na season,” he explained, just before he expressed his gratitude to their fellow Tamaraws who have been with them through their ups and downs.</p><p>“Sa buong FEU community, maraming maraming salamat po kasi andiyan kayo palagi. Dati pa man, at ngayon na andito na yung women’s volleyball, maraming salamat po sa suporta.”</p><p>“‘Di natatapos ngayon ang buhay. Malay natin next year? Ta-trabahuhin namin. Thank you FEU community!” Coach Nols ended.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Lm5jQ7rEEbA?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px"><br/></div>

<p>The FEU Lady Tamaraws exceeded expectations despite their UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball Final Four exit.</p>

The FEU Lady Tamaraws exceeded expectations despite their UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball Final Four exit.

UAAP: How Manolo Refugia's love for volleyball brought him back to FEU

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UAAP: How Manolo Refugia's love for volleyball brought him back to FEU

Romwel Anzures,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 10, 2024 07:00 AM PHT

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