THE UST Golden Tigresses will be anchored by two captains in UAAP Season 87, with star libero Detdet Pepito tasked with taking charge on the court and opposite hitter Regina Jurado leading off it.
UST head coach Emilio “Kung Fu” Reyes said he was behind the decision to split the leadership duties between the two.
“Ang team captain si Regina Jurado, pero ang game captain namin si Detdet,” Reyes told the Varsitarian. “Sa laro, si Detdet ang magli-lead, pero sa training, papunta doon at pabalik, si Regina ang magha-handle ng tao.”
Pepito, a two-time UAAP Best Libero, served as team captain last season after taking over from UST legend Eya Laure.
With a slightly different role in Season 87, she remains determined to lead the Tigresses once more, drawing from the lessons she learned from her seniors.
“Thankfully, ‘yong naging senior namin at naabutan namin, ang dami naming natutunan sa kanila na pinapasa namin ngayon sa mga mga bata,” Pepito told the Varsitarian.
“Pag-iigihan ko pa kung ano ‘yong napakita namin last season. Pipilitin namin maging better this season.”
Pepito and Jurado’s partnership goes back to high school in Season 82, before reuniting in the collegiate ranks in Season 85.
Now stepping into the team captain role, Jurado embraces both the honor and the challenge.
“Honored na ako ‘yong nakita nilang responsible enough na mag-help sa team,”Jurado told the Varsitarian. “May kaunting pressure din na sakin, iniisip ko minsan if kaya ko rin ba maging katulad niya (Pepito).”
Despite the added pressure, Jurado said she is focused on helping UST build on its bridesmaid finish last season and push for the title.
“Malamangan ‘yong kung ano yung na-achieve namin last season,” Jurado said of the team’s goal in Season 87.
“Kailangan namin magkaroon ng unending na tiyaga. Kahit na nalalamangan na kami ng kalaban, dapat ando’n pa rin ‘yong winning factor or winning goal namin na matapos ‘yong set na kami yung nanalo.” with reports from Sydney Venice V. Verba
