PVL: Petro Gazz taps Japanese Koji Tsuzurabara as new coach

New Petro Gazz coach Koji Tsuzurabara.–Photo from Petro Gazz Angels

MANILA, Philippines — Petro Gazz has named Japanese tactician Koji Tsuzurabara as its new head coach for the 2024 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) season.

The Angels on Sunday evening welcomed the 59-year-old Japanese coach, who took over the coaching reins of the two-time Reinforced conference champions, replacing Timmy Sto. Tomas.

“Our new driving force and guiding light has come aboard! We are ready and excited as you steer us to new heights as our Head Coach. Welcome to the Angels family, Coach Koji Tsuzurabara!” the team wrote.

Petro Gazz followed the trend of hiring Japanese coaches, joining Nxled under Taka Minowa since participating last year and Farm Fresh, which recently hired team consultant Hideo Suzuki of Invitational Conference champion Kurashiki Ablaze and Master Shimizu, who is working hand-in-hand with coach Jerry Yee in developing the Foxies.

Tsuzurabara, a former Chinese Taipei women’s national team coach, is a 37-year veteran and coached in several countries including Vietnam, Japan, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia.

He worked as head coach Malaysia men’s national team from 2002 to 2004 and the Myanmar men’s team from 2004 to 2006 and also served as an assistant coach for Thailand Under 20 and 21 teams from 1999 to 2002.

The Japanese became the sixth Petro Gazz coach as the club was a revolving door of coaches in the past two years, changing its tactician five times in the last six conferences.

Yee, the first Angels coach when they joined the PVL in 2018, returned in the 2022 Open Conference before Arnold Laniog was reinstated in the Invitational Conference. Rald Ricafort was promoted in the Reinforced Conference and ruled the tournament before Oliver Almadro called the shots in the first two conferences last season but he was promoted as director of volleyball operations and assigned his assistant Sto. Tomas to take charge.

Petro Gazz signed former US NCAA player Brooke Van Sickle, who will be teaming up with the returning spiker Myla Pablo, fellow new recruit Mich Morente, Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, Jonah Sabete, Remy Palma, and setter Djanel Cheng.

The Angels, who started 4-0 in the second All-Filipino but lost five of their last seven games, crashing out of the semis race and finishing sixth with a 6-5 record, seek to reclaim the PVL crown since they last emerged as champion in the 2022 Reinforced Conference.