VETERAN setter Rhea Dimaculangan hopes that PLDT Home Fibr’s fortunes will reverse for the better when the new Premier Volleyball League opens its new season next month.

A national team mainstay, Dimaculangan was one of only four players who were retain from the High Speed Hitters squad which placed seventh in last year’s Open Conference.

“Expectations ko for this season is better performance and finish for PLDT. But we need to work hard and one step at a time muna ang focus namin hanggang sa maabot namin yung goal namin as a team,” said Dimaculangan.

Opposite hitter Eli Soyud, outside spiker Chin Basas, and libero Iza Viray will be back with the High Speed Hitters.

Now under coach George Pascua, Dimaculangan will face a huge challenge for her, to not just adapt to the new mentor’s system but also bring together the High Speed Hitters’ newcomers who will be announced in the coming days.

“Big challenge not just for me but also for every one of us kasi we need to adapt yung bagong system ni Coach George and at the same time need namin yung familiarity in and out of the court sa bagong teammates namin,” the 30-year-old playmaker said.

“Pero at the end of the day we need to focus muna sa sarili namin kung paano pa kami mag-iimprove and makakatulong sa team para maabot namin yung goal namin,” she added.

Aside from being PLDT’s main setter, Dimaculangan will also continue her duties as the captain of the rebuilding squad.

With the tremendous responsibility falling on her shoulders, the soft-spoken Dimaculangan is already working on becoming more expressive both on and off the court.

“I need to be more vocal in providing support sa mga teammates ko and need ko rin na mas makilala sila personally para alam ko kung paano ko sila mabibigyan ng motivation,” Dimaculangan said.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Theodore P. Jurado