DESPITE losing middle-blocker Kirstin Louise Ojeda to another school, the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) remains optimistic on its chances in the upcoming Cesafi volleyball tournament.
The Baby Panthers, who missed the playoffs last year, looked highly-motivated this year and made their championship intentions known last April when they went on to bag the 3rd Inter Private Schools Cup Volleyball Tournament.
But things changed when Ojeda decided to transfer to the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles this month.
It can be recalled that Ojeda played a huge role to their championship win in the 3rd Inter Private Schools Cup Volleyball Tournament as she unloaded eight points in the third set alone to help the Panthers defeat the Southwestern University Cobras in three sets.
But USPF coach Yolanda Rizzari, who is set to make her Cesafi coaching debut this year, isn’t that worried.
“As a coach, naturally I’m proud of Kirstin being noticed. I’m glad that I got to be a part of her athletic journey, but this changes nothing with my team,” she said.
According to Rizzari, as long as the team works hard in training, anything is possible.
“The ambitious side of me says we can sweep the entire division, but the cautious side of me is to prepare for the worst – injuries, bad referee calls and all that jazz. We can never predict the future, but we can always make the best of what is yet to come,” Rizzari added.
Rizzari, who hinted that they will be welcoming at least four new players in the next season, said the progress and direction of the squad’s training and development is getting stronger every day as they have learned to cultivate a relationship with each other.