Akari in a serious light – long before the three-game series

Akari’s Oly Okaro in the PVL Reinforced Conference.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Few would have thought that Akari would be one of the teams that found early success in the PVL Reinforced Conference. After all, the Chargers don’t exactly have an impressive resume.

Even Oly Okaro, the American player who imported the Chargers, admitted she didn’t set her expectations too high when she first got to know her new local club.

“I noticed that the team could be a little bit silly and crazy. I won’t lie, when I first came in I was like, ‘Wow, are you guys serious about volleyball? This is a social hour, what is this?'” Okaro said with a laugh, after lifting Akari past Petro Gazz in another hard-fought comeback 23-25, 21-25, 25-23, 29-27, 16-14, victory Saturday at the PhilSports Arena.

“But the longer I stayed with the team, I learned that just because they have a lighthearted, awkward attitude doesn’t detract from their work ethic,” she added.

Tied up with Cignal

In Akari’s six-conference stint in the league, the Chargers have only a seventh-place finish to boast as their best showing. But now the franchise, which has undergone many changes in the last two offseasons, appears poised for a long-awaited success.

The Chargers are currently tied with Cignal, who pulled Capital1 back down to earth 25-20, 25-17, 23-25, 25-13 in the earlier match, taking a 3-0 lead in Pool B.

Akari has also won in previous games against Capital1 and against Choco Mucho, who was in a slump.

“They work extremely hard and I’m still surprised every day when I see how much effort and work my teammates put into volleyball and it’s not a joke for them, it’s very serious,” Okaro said after scoring 31 points. “That might just be how they come across, but they put a lot of work and effort into it.”

In addition to the player transfers, Taka Minowa, who previously managed Akari’s sister team Nxled, has also transferred to the Chargers.

“(What’s changed in Akari is) the culture and what the team and coach Taka (has instilled) in the whole team,” returning libero Dani Ravena said. “More than the skills, I think one of the most important things to look at is the attitude, the maturity (of a player) on and off the court, being the best possible player you can be, even if you’re not the oldest or the youngest, you can still be in your own way and I think we’re on the same page now.”