Godfrey Okumu proud to see daughter Hawi, former UP players suit up for national teams

Hawi Okumu (No. 11) of the Japanese national team. –CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Former University of the Philippines head coach Godfrey Okumu is proud to see his daughter, Hawi, play for the Japanese national team.

The Kenyan coach on Sunday watched his daughter’s AVC Cup debut, scoring two points in the third set as Japan took down Southeast Asian Games champion Thailand, 25-18, 25-19, 25-22, in Pool B at PhilSports Arena.

“It feels good, it feels great to see her play again. I was nervous at first, but I think it feels good. The first time I saw her playing for the national team was when she was, playing for the U19 in Thailand,” Godfrey told the reporters after watching Hawi represent Japan for the first time in four years. 

“She was good.”

The Okumus were supposed to be reunited last June when the country hosted the Volleyball Nations League (VNL). But the 24-year-old spiker was ruled out due to health reasons.

“I was expecting to see her in the VNL but she did not make it because she had (health reasons) so she had to stay away,” said Godfrey, who was with Philippine women’s national team coach Jorge De Brito during the AVC opener.

Besides being reunited with his daughter, Okumu is also proud to see his former UP players Tots Carlos and Lorie Bernardo play for the Philippine national team.

The 54-year-old coach said he expected the rise of Carlos to stardom, emerging as Creamline’s main scorer and a two-time Premier Volleyball League MVP.

Creamline-Philippines’ Tots Carlos and Japan’s Hawi Okumu. –Godfrey Okumu Facebook

His dream is for Carlos and Bernardo and Hawi to play against each other in the AVC Cup. That is if the Philippines and Japan will meet after the pool play.

“My dream is to see them play each other, if possible. I would only say that what else can a coach ask for, you know? Coaching in two different countries and you have your players playing in the national team from different countries,” Okumu said. “I think it’s a great feeling, I’m very very much humbled. I feel that the hard work that I put in all the way is paying now. And I expect and I hope that many other players will be in the same position as these other three are at the moment.”

‘JAPAN WILL WIN’

Okumu, who used to coach in Japan before arriving in the Philippines, believes the Japanese have the chance to win it all in this year’s AVC Cup — not just because he is supporting his daughter.

“Japan will win. I’m being biased. But if you look at it, I was talking to Coach Jorge as well, I believe Japan has a higher chance of winning because if you look at the general play from the way they serve, their net and floor defense,” he said. “They were touching so many balls and they were retrieving, they made volleyball look easy so I feel like they have a chance of winning. If they play the way they play. I believe they can even play better than they did today.”

Okumu, who stepped down from coaching the Fighting Maroons after missing the Final four anew in the UAAP Season 84, still hasn’t mapped out his next plans yet.

“I’m still waiting for the next opportunity, but I don’t want to rush it, I don’t want to be in a hurry, to rush it,” he said. “I still wanna do volleyball, I wanna volunteer my work to other teams, especially for grassroots volleyball, while waiting for that opportunity to work and coach another team again.”