A NEW year and a new coaching staff for a number of teams in the Philippine Superliga (PSL), which kicks off its 2018 season with the Grand Prix Conference next month.
George Pascua, the erstwhile Cignal coach, was surprisingly announced as the new head coach of Santa Lucia last Saturday.
“As we transition into our team’s sophomore year, we would like to officially welcome to the Santa Lucia family our new head coach, George Pascua,” Santa Lucia’s official twitter account announced.
The current head coach of Far Eastern University women’s team will replace Jerry Yee, who is on his way to the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) joining an expansion squad that has yet to be disclosed.
Pascua, who steered Petron to two titles three years ago, will bring his winning tradition and try to resuscitate the Lady Realtors, who went winless in the Invitational Cup before finishing in sixth place in both the All-Filipino and Grand Prix.
Cignal has yet to find a replacement. The team will also limp into the new season without star spiker Jovelyn Gonzaga, who is out for the conference because of an ACL injury.
Cocolife, meanwhile, also tinkered with its coaching staff and took Serbian Moro Branislav from Foton.
After a modest debut in 2017—highlighted by a fourth-place finish in the recent Grand Prix—the Asset Managers are looking to take a big leap in 2018 with Branislav, who led the Tornadoes to a Grand Prix title in 2016 before failing to enter the Finals in both conferences last year.
Foton’s high-scoring import Sara Klisura is also set to join her fellow Serbian coach at Cocolife.
Michele Gumabao, however, is reportedly headed for the PVL and is also joining a beauty pageant.
Foton, on the other hand, signed former Pocari Sweat head coach, Rommel Abella, who steered his former team to three titles in the PVL.