In Alohi, Foxies also have a coach on the floor

FILE–Alohi Robins-Hardy is set to make her Philippine volleyball return with the Farm Fresh Foxies in the PVL. –INQUIRER PHOTO

When Alohi Robins-Hardy finally steps on the court as a Farm Fresh Foxie, she will be armed with not just game but with the experience gained from months that she was required to watch from the sidelines.

“I’ve been telling everyone, it’s a relief [to officially be allowed to play],” Robins-Hardy told the Inquirer. “I am just relieved to finally have a team, finally be with the Farm Fresh Foxies officially. I am just excited to get out there.”

When the Hawaiian setter first came back to the country, she was not allowed to play because of the new guidelines set by the PVL that prevented direct hiring as the league pushed for parity.

“My teammates, my coaches know from last season that it was honestly probably the hardest thing that I’ve had to endure,” she said. “But definitely, like you said, it’s a bump on the road and just part of my journey.”

Robins-Hardy, who first played in the country for Cignal before the league turned pro in 2021, became a member of the coaching staff of Farm Fresh as well as Strong Group Athletics-backed University of the Philippines in the UAAP while she waited for the Draft.

And when she finally gets to orchestrate the offense of Farm Fresh alongside Louie Romero and under new head coach Alessandro Lodi, she is looking to incorporate what she learned from her previous role now that she’ll be on the court.

“Seeing it from a coach’s perspective, I think, really helped me see what the players need more of from the coaches,” the 6-foot-3 playmaker said. “And I think a lot of the communication needs to be a little bit better as far as the player-to-coach or as far as team-to-coaches [is concerned].

“I think that’s probably the biggest thing that I learned from last season,” she said. “So hopefully, I can bring that into this season and be all as one.”

Robins-Hardy was brought in to help the Foxies who, despite having the prolific Trisha Tubu as leader, failed to become a legitimate title contender.

New additions that count middle blocker Des Clemente-de Guzman from Capital1 and rookie Ann Monares are also expected to debut for Farm Fresh on July 1 when the Foxies play PLDT in the PVL On Tour.

“I am super optimistic. I think that everyone who knows me knows that I am a pretty optimistic person,” the 29-year-old Robins-Hardy said. “I don’t like to be negative so I am super excited.

“I think we have a chance, I mean everybody has a chance,” she continued. “But I think we’re gonna have a good chance this coming season and hoping that everybody shows up and I am just grateful to be on Farm Fresh.”