Former Lady Stags, Roger Gorayeb Look Back on "Baste" Days

For one, last Saturday's episode of Usapang PSL, which was hosted by Noel Zarate who handled the show in place of the ever-energetic Aby Marano, proved that there's more to something than meets the eye. For another, we need an entire episode dedicated exclusively to Coach Roger Gorayeb.

Incidentally, the guests in the latest episode of pinoyliga.com's webcast where everything and anything about the Philippine SuperLiga (PSL) is being discussed, were Alyssa Eroa, Joyce Sta. Rita, and Vira Guillema of the PLDT Home Fibr Hitters. Completing the star-studded line-up of guests is a multi-titled volleyball mentor, Coach Roger Gorayeb. Why incidentally?

The connection that Eroa, Sta. Rita, Guillema have with Goreyab goes beyond them being players and coach of PLDT in the PSL. All three played under Coach Roger Gorayeb during their collegiate careers in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) with the San Sebastian Lady Stags that won 22 women's volleyball championships with Gorayeb at the helm. And as it turned out, the three PLDT players took a trip down memory lane as they look back to how they entered the life of the great Roger Gorayeb as a player aspiring to improve in the game of volleyball. 

One of the many laughter-bursting topics that were discussed in the episode was the beginning of the collegiate career of Eroa, Guillema, and Sta. Rita under the legendary mentor. In the case of Alyssa Eroa who was the center of jokes of teases coming from the usually intense coach, "Alyssa is a walk-in (during the tryouts at San Sebastian)" Gorayeb revealed on how he found a gem in Eroa. In the case of Vira Guillema, she revealed that "Baste (San Sebastian) wasn't the first school I entered college in. It was National University (NU). Then I transferred to Baste," Guillema also shared that she didn't get the chance to catch Gorayeb as her coach in NU. And then she found herself under Gorayeb with the Lady Stags. Roger Gorayeb shared "The line-up of Vira's former school had three setters so she (Vira) only had limited playing time. During that time, I don't have a setter so when she walked in, I asked her 'why are you transferring?' She said that her former team had many setters" Gorayeb then told Guillema would need to sit one residency year to which Guillema agreed to.

In the case of Joyce Sta. Rita who Zarate referred to as one of the "top of the mind" names when the volleyball program of the Lady Stags becomes a topic of conversation,  Gorayeb saw Sta. Rita during the National Capital Region (NCR) Youth Games then held in San Juan. 

Most volleyball fans have this concept of Roger Gorayeb as an intended coach who always scolds his players but in the eyes of his players and for Gorayeb himself, that's a misconception by people who don't know what's happening before and after the games. "I'm just like that" Gorayeb said of his "intense" image while pointing out that after the games, "We are like a group of friends. They would tease me. They would joke with me. If I am rugged as the people are saying, my players would have left me, and yet, they stayed with me even for five years (in college). Until now (in the PSL) they are still playing under me."

Zarate then asked the players: What characteristic of Coach Roger Gorayeb that made you love him and made you stay in San Sebastian?

For Joyce Sta. Rita, "Coach Roger has one word and when he says something, he would keep it like the time when he recruited me and he said that he would not neglect me. Even now that I already graduated, he still doesn't neglect me."

Vira started with a playful joke that "Coach Roger lends money" before sharing that the coach is a father figure to all of his players.

If there's one thing that can be said after Saturday's latest episode of Usapang PSL, the great Roger Gorayeb is indeed a treasure to Philippine volleyball not because of the number of championships he won but more importantly, the respect that the community has given to him due to his being a loving father to his players despite his misjudged image as a rugged coach who always scolds at his players. 

Screenshot is from pinoyliga.com Facebook page