Aside from winning the title again, Macky Cariño shared that the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA's NCAA Season 100 men's volleyball campaign goes beyond the sport.
Cariño, who has been tasked to call the shots for the five-peat seeking Altas, stressed they are both out to deliver another title and at the same time continue the legacy of late head coach Sammy Acaylar.
Veteran volleyball tactician Acaylar passed away last January.
"Nu’ng una masakit kasi nga nawala na siya, eh wala na rin magagawa, kesa naman magmukmok ako ang target ko na ngayon is to just continue his legacy and ‘yung winning ways namin," Cariño told GMA News Online after they opened their centennial campaign on Saturday with a sweep of San Beda University.
"Sa dugout laging sinasabi ni Coach Sammy na kailangan we always have to find ways na mananalo tayo, whatever it takes. Ngayong game, aside sa dinedicate namin ito kay Coach Sammy, ‘yung mentality niya na manalo whatever it takes ginawa namin."
Cariño is a longtime deputy to Acaylar, entering the school sometime around 2001 and was taken under the wing of the renowned volleyball tactician.
He then left Perpetual in 2012 to pursue a head coaching job for De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde women's volleyball team which he steered to a maiden NCAA title in 2016 despite ending the elimination round as the fourth-ranked team.
Cariño then decided to go back to his roots, making a homecoming in Perpetual in 2017 to become its volleyball program director after Acaylar was promoted to the school's athletic director.
Even when Acaylar was reinstated as the men's team coach years later, Cariño stood by his side and served as his lead assistant coach as the two would win multiple titles together, including the last four titles of the ALTAs.
"Ang tagal na, almost 23 years na akong assistant niya. Aside from Perps, may mga commercial leagues kami. 2001 ako pumasok sa Perps, na-stop nu’ng 2012 kasi nag-Benilde ako then four years ako sa Benilde. After mag-champion bumalik na ako ng Perpetual," Cariño recalled.
Once a protege for Acaylar, Cariño is now out to replicate what the former had accomplished through his illustrious career that saw him win all of the school's 14 men's titles.
"Sobrang malaki ‘yung ambag niya sa career ko. Wala ako ngayon sa kinakatayuan ko without him. Kung ano ‘yung ginagawa ko ngayon, parang nire-replicate ko lang kung ano ‘yung ginagawa ni coach Sammy," he added.
"Nakaka-miss din and at the same talagang ang laking factor na nawala siya sa team pero we have to move on and we have to continue his legacy. That’s our number one purpose in this league."
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
