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Tag: Tai Bundit

  • Tai Bundit to miss AVC Women’s Cup after Thailand accident, forcing Alas Pilipinas to scramble for interim coach 

    Tai Bundit to miss AVC Women’s Cup after Thailand accident, forcing Alas Pilipinas to scramble for interim coach 

    Alas Pilipinas Women has suddenly dealt another major challenge, as the newly-appointed head coach Tai Bundit will be unable to guide the Philippines in the upcoming AVC Women’s Volleyball Cup after suffering a foot injury in a scooter accident in Bangkok, Thailand.


    The accident, which required surgery, sidelines Bundit for the next two to three months and left the Philippine National Volleyball Federation scrambling to reorganize its coaching setup just weeks before the continental tournament scheduled from June 6 to 14 in Candon City.

     

    “So ‘yung nangyari kay coach Tai, na-aksidente nga very sad to say na he will be out 2-3 months. So definitely, he will be out for the AVC Women’s Cup. So, ang balik niya SEA V.League,” PNVF president Tonyboy Liao said.


    Instead of making his anticipated debut on home soil, Bundit’s return to Philippine volleyball will now have to wait until the 6th SEA V.League in July.

     

    The timing could not have been tougher for Alas Women, which is already undergoing a major transition after several core players from the previous national team pool declined invitations to return.

     

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    With Bundit out, the federation has turned its attention toward finding an interim tactician from within the current coaching group to oversee training camp and handle the AVC campaign.


    “I already talked with the coaches among yourselves, plan out sino ang pwedeng maging head coach sa inyo for the meantime to run the training,” Liao added.

     

    Among those being considered are former national coach Shaq Delos Santos, multi-time PVL champion tactician Sherwin Meneses, Adamson high school champion coach JP Yude, and La Salle statistics coach Benson Bocboc.

     

    Liao said the coaches themselves are expected to decide internally who will temporarily steer the national squad.

     

    “Ipa-plan out muna sino ang pwedeng maging head coach sa inyo for the meantime to run the training. I will be talking with them later and see,” he said.

     

    Bundit’s return to the Philippines had generated excitement after his successful runs with the Ateneo Blue Eagles and Creamline Cool Smashers, where he established himself as one of the most respected foreign tacticians in local volleyball.

     

    Now, however, Alas Pilipinas Women enters the AVC Women’s Cup facing uncertainty both on the sidelines and within the roster itself.

     

    Despite the setback, preparations are still expected to continue as the national team hopes to stabilize its program in time for a busy international calendar ahead.

     

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  • Rald Ricafort, Shaq delos Santos, Tai Bundit, and Sydney Calderon officially set to coach Volleyball All-Star Showcase

    Rald Ricafort, Shaq delos Santos, Tai Bundit, and Sydney Calderon officially set to coach Volleyball All-Star Showcase

    Momentum from the ongoing season is carrying straight into the spotlight, as the Premier Volleyball League and Spikers’ Turf tap their top-performing tacticians to lead the charge in the 2026 Volleyball All-Star Showcase on May 1 in Candon City.


    In the PVL side, Rald Ricafort of the PLDT High Speed Hitters has been entrusted with Team Heart, while Shaq delos Santos of the Cignal HD Spikers will call the shots for Team Hustle. 

     

    Their selection reflects not just their teams’ records, but their consistent ability to steer winning systems in a tightly contested conference.

     

    Ricafort guided PLDT to a league-best 7-2 finish in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference preliminaries, with Cignal close behind at 6-3 under delos Santos. 

     

    Fittingly, the two coaches are set to face each other again—this time in a high-stakes semifinal clash on April 16 at the Filoil EcoOil Centre, adding another layer of intrigue before they share the All-Star stage.

     

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    On the men’s side, dominance defined the selections. Tai Bundit of the Criss Cross King Crunchers will handle Team Passion after steering his squad to a flawless 10-0 record in the 2026 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference. 

     

    Meanwhile, Sydney Calderon of the Savouge Spin Doctors takes charge of Team Power following an 8-2 campaign.

     

    Unlike their PVL counterparts, Bundit and Calderon will not meet in the semifinals of Spikers’ Turf Open Conference. The Spin Doctors are set to battle the AEP Cabstars, while Criss Cross squares off against the Alpha Insurance Protectors which are both scheduled on April 10 at the FilOil Centre.

     

    Beyond coaching matchups, attention now shifts to the fans as voting for All-Star starters remains open until April 11, with the official lineup to be revealed on Monday, April 13. 

     

    The remaining seven reserve spots will be determined through a multi-sector voting process involving coaches, players, team officials, referees, broadcast personnel, and media, with final results set for release on April 20.

     

    As the postseason heats up, the All-Star selections serve as both recognition and preview—a gathering of the league’s brightest minds and talents, shaped by the intensity of a season still unfolding.

     

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  • Alyssa Valdez happy to see former mentor Tai Bundit back with Alas Pilipinas Women 

    Alyssa Valdez happy to see former mentor Tai Bundit back with Alas Pilipinas Women 

    Timing has a funny way of shaping careers, and for Alyssa Valdez, Tai Bundit’s return to the Philippine women’s national volleyball team feels less like coincidence and more like a moment that has been quietly building for years.

     

    Bundit, the Thai tactician behind some of the most dominant eras in Philippine volleyball, has been appointed head coach of Alas Pilipinas Women — a role that reunites him not only with the national program, but also with familiar faces who helped define his legacy in the country.

     

    One of them is setter Jia de Guzman, now the Alas Pilipinas Women captain, who once ran Bundit’s system during their championship years together. Their paths crossed again during the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand last December, where the Philippine squad endured another painful fourth-place finish — a result that only underscored how much the program has been searching for direction.

     

    Watching from courtside was Valdez, no longer in uniform but still deeply connected to the national team, this time working as a correspondent for Cignal. From that vantage point, she saw more than just a familiar coach returning — she saw a long-awaited chance for growth.

     

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    “I’m very happy for Coach Tai. Kasi I think one of the things din na nilu-look forward niya siguro ay mag-coach ulit ng women’s at makatulong sa volleyball program ng Philippines,” Valdez said during the SEA Games. “So I’m just really happy for him.”

     

    Bundit’s history in Philippine volleyball is impossible to separate from Valdez’s own rise. Together with the Ateneo Blue Eagles, they built the “Heartstrong” identity that powered back-to-back UAAP championships in Seasons 76 and 77 — a culture that emphasized discipline, resilience, and trust.

    That same philosophy later carried over to the professional ranks, where Bundit helped establish Creamline Cool Smashers as a dynasty, winning titles in the 2018 Reinforced, 2018 Open, and 2019 Open Conferences.

     

    Yet, beyond trophies, Valdez remembers Bundit most for the way he shaped her as a player.

    “Marami rin akong natutunan kay Coach Tai,” Valdez mused. “I feel like I had my best games then under him.”

     

    Under Bundit’s guidance, Valdez claimed three UAAP Most Valuable Player awards and later earned another MVP nod in the 2018 PVL Open Conference — achievements that defined her as one of the sport’s icons.

     

    The bond clearly remains intact. During their time in Thailand, the Creamline Cool Smashers even visited Bundit’s restaurant, a quiet reminder that relationships built through volleyball often extend far beyond the court.

     

    Valdez once summed up that connection in a 2016 birthday greeting, writing: “Two different cultures. Two opposite personalities. One common denominator… passion and love for the sport.”

     

    Now, as Bundit prepares to take on the challenge of leading Alas Pilipinas Women, Valdez sees opportunity — not just for wins, but for development.

     

    “So really looking forward na makita, if ever matuloy yan, makita siya na matulungan at maturuan itong mga nasa national team natin,” she said.

     

    The Philippine National Volleyball Federation confirmed that Bundit had long been on its radar, especially with coach Jorge de Brito’s contract set to expire at the end of 2025.

     

    “Yeah, nasa wishlist siya,” PNVF president Tony Boy Liao said. “If you will say, medyo champion coach—lahat ng teams na binanggit ko, pinag-champion siya.”

     

    For Valdez, the story isn’t just about a decorated coach coming back. It’s about experience meeting urgency — and the belief that the lessons that once built champions might now help lift the national team to where it has long aspired to be.

     

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  • Tonyboy Liao confirms talks with Tai Bundit for Alas Pilipinas head coach role

    Tonyboy Liao confirms talks with Tai Bundit for Alas Pilipinas head coach role

    The Philippine women’s national volleyball team has been without a head coach since the conclusion of the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand, where the squad fell short of a podium finish. The disappointing result marked the end of Jorge Souza de Brito’s tenure with the national team, prompting the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) to begin its search for a new leader as the program looks ahead to its next competitive cycle.

     

    Newly elected PNVF president Tonyboy Liao confirmed that the federation is already considering a high-profile replacement, revealing that decorated Thai coach Tai Bundit is being eyed to take over the reins of Alas Pilipinas. Liao noted that initial discussions have already taken place and that formal approval from the federation’s executive board is the next step in the process.

     

    Liao confirmed that the matter will be taken up during the PNVF executive board meeting scheduled for Thursday, February 5, where Bundit’s potential appointment will be presented for approval.

     

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    “It will be discussed in the upcoming board meeting this Thursday. I will have it approved by the PNVF executive board in our meeting on Thursday,” Liao said in a media interaction.

     

    Liao added that Bundit has expressed strong interest in the role and that most of the logistical hurdles have already been addressed, with only final clearances remaining.

    “Actually, I have talked to him about this one. He is very interested. The go-signal now is with the Rebisco management. As for the Thai federation, I have already talked to them and they are very willing to help the Philippines. So that’s one hurdle passed and it’s now up to the Rebisco management,” he added.

     

    Bundit is no stranger to Philippine volleyball, having built a decorated résumé across both the collegiate and professional ranks. The Thai tactician is currently the head coach of the Criss Cross King Crunchers, whom he recently led to the Invitational Conference title in Spikers’ Turf, further underscoring his ability to deliver immediate results.

     

    His local coaching pedigree includes a successful stint with the Ateneo women’s volleyball team from 2014 to 2018, followed by a championship-laden run with the Creamline Cool Smashers from 2017 to 2021. During that span, Bundit guided both programs to multiple Premier Volleyball League (PVL) titles, establishing himself as one of the most respected foreign coaches in the country.

     

    Meanwhile, De Brito leaves behind a meaningful legacy with Alas Pilipinas, having overseen one of the most productive periods in the program’s recent history. Under his leadership, the national team enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2024, capturing three bronze medals across the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Nations Cup and the Southeast Asian Volleyball League legs held in Vinh Phuc and Nakhon Ratchasima.

     

    The Brazilian coach built on that momentum in 2025, steering the team to a silver medal at the AVC Nations Cup and adding two more bronze medals in the V.League, further raising the program’s regional standing. Although the SEA Games podium eluded Alas Pilipinas in Bangkok, De Brito’s tenure helped lay a solid foundation of competitiveness, discipline, and belief within the squad.

     

    As the PNVF moves forward, the combination of De Brito’s groundwork and the potential arrival of Bundit offers renewed optimism for Philippine volleyball. With a coach deeply familiar with the local volleyball landscape and a roster gaining valuable international experience, Alas Pilipinas could soon find itself back on the Southeast Asian podium, poised to challenge the region’s traditional powers once more.

     

     

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