By Kristel Satumbaga
Former Ateneo volleyball players Gretchen Ho and Jem Ferrer paid respects to veteran coach Ron Dulay, who passed away Monday after a long battle with bone marrow disease. He was 48.
“Sad news today,” said Ho in a Twitter post.
“Coach Ron was the one who asked me to come and play for Ateneo, that’s why I was a walk-in for Coach Roger (Gorayeb), who replaced him in 2008. Maraming salamat, coach. You will be missed.”
“Maraming salamat, coach Ron Dulay sa pagiging tulay upang makapag-aral at makapaglaro ako sa Ateneo,” Ferrer said in a Twitter post.
A former player of Far Eastern University, Dulay coached the De La Salle men’s team that won a breakthrough title in 2001 and another crown in 2003.
He also mentored women’s teams of Ateneo, University of the Philippines and Letran.
With Ateneo, he guided the Lady Eagles to their first Final Four appearance in 2007.
In the semi-pro scene, Dulay was part of the Foton and Generika-Ayala’s coaching staff in the Philippine Superliga before becoming head coach of the Smart Giga Hitters in 2018.
He was also an assistant coach for Marinerang Pilipinas.
“He has been a great coach, friend, and father to many in the volleyball community,” said in a Facebook post from the Marinerang Pilipinas account.
