By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Akari Power Chargers and the NXLED Chameleons just engaged in a players-coaches swap heading into the next conference of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL).
After a failed playoff stint for both sister teams last All-Filipino Conference, Akari and NXLED reshuffled its roster and head coaches with hopes of boosting its chances of entering the PVL post-season stage.
Now handling the chief tactician duties for the Power Chargers is head coach Taka Minowa while Raffy Mosuela will now be mentoring the Chameleons.
Aside from their coaches, both franchises also dealt some of its players. After the agreement, Ivy Lacsina, Dani Ravena, Kamille Cal, and Camille Victoria will be heading to Akari.
Meanwhile, former Akari members Dindin Santiago-Manabat, Trisha Genesis, Bang Pineda, and Roselle Baliton will be taking their place in NXLED.
Initially, the massive personnel swap was opposed by PVL president Ricky Palou but the majority of the league committee decided to approve the deal.
“There are mixed feelings. Personally, I was against it. But the PVL is run by a management team of five,” Palou said.
Palou added that he engaged in several heated discussions with the members of the screening panel but at the end of the day, more members voted for the swap.
He then emphasized that this will be the starting point of a new ruling regarding the player swap to be done by sister teams in the future.
“Just because I’m president, it doesn’t mean that what I say goes. We sit down, we discuss, and we look at the pros and cons,” added Palou.
