Gilas Pilipinas Women's next coach will be a foreigner — here's why

Who will be the next Gilas Pilipinas Women’s head coach?

Not a Filipino, according to Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Erika Dy.

Dy said on Monday that the basketball body has shortlisted around six to seven coaches who reached out to the SBP to apply for the role recently vacated by Pat Aquino, with some based in the United States, Europe, Australia, and even Asia.

Having a foreign coach, however, is for a good reason.

“It's really an upgrade, no? I mean, Coach Pat has been doing very well for Gilas Women, so if we were to go with a Filipino coach, it would still be him,” Dy said.

“N’ung nag-usap kami ni Coach Pat, we felt that we needed to bring Gilas to another level.”

(When Coach Pat and I spoke, we felt that we needed to bring Gilas to another level.)

With the Los Angeles Olympics set as a target, the Philippines will also host the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup next year, and by having a foreign coach, the SBP hopes Gilas will deliver a strong performance in the regional showcase.

“So the goal is to land in the top four of the Asia Cup. And if we are able to achieve that, then we go to the Olympic qualifiers,” Dy said.

The SBP executive director is also banking on a foreign coach’s neutrality in selecting players for the pool.

“We believe that the main reason you get foreign coaches is because of the neutrality it brings across the different local clubs in the country. Medyo nahirapan tayo minsan pag Pilipino ‘yung coach kasi grupo-grupo tapos naiintriga tayo sa selection ng players. At least naaalis natin ‘yun ‘pag foreigner ‘yung coach, and hopefully we really get the best players that we have.”

(We believe that the main reason you get foreign coaches is because of the neutrality it brings across the different local clubs in the country. We sometimes have a bit of a hard time with a Filipino coach because they have their groups and there are people who question the selection of players. At least, we can remove that with a foreign coach and hopefully we really get the best players that we have.)

According to Dy, Aquino will also help in the grassroots program of the federation, along with Norman Black.

—JMB, GMA News