Iloilo head coach John Kenneth Panes aims to inspire the next generation of Ilonggo volleyball players through the D’Navigators’ stint in the 2023 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference.
The Iloilo-based squad, which has five homegrown players, is the newest addition to the tournament organized by Sports Vision this year along with the Cotabato Spikers, Imus-Ivy Tuason Photography, and Vanguard Volleyball team.
Panes also expressed his utmost gratitude to their team manager for giving them the opportunity to showcase their wares in the country’s first-ever men’s volleyball league.
“Una thankful ako sa manager namin, talagang pure Ilonggo siya. So sabi niya ito yung chance, ito yung opportunity na maibalik natin… kasi yung Iloilo sikat ‘yan sa volleyball. So bakit walang Iloilo na sumasali dito sa Manila sabi niya,” shared Panes.
“So ito na yung chance kaya ito bumuo siya ng team tapos nagkasama-sama kami,” he added.
The D’Navigators have been nothing but impressive in their first two games, stunning a veteran Philippine Air Force side in five sets to open their campaign before sweeping National University-Archipelago Builders for their second consecutive victory.
Panes said that he was very happy that his players are responding really well to what they are doing in practice. He hopes that the team can sustain its momentum until the end and make the entire city of Iloilo proud.
“Una sa lahat happy kami kasi two straight wins so sabi ko sa mga players ko basta stick lang kami sa game plan namin so nireview naman namin yung laro nila kaya gawin lang namin yung ginawa namin sa training, kung ano yung pinaghandaan namin.”
