'Prime Volleyball triumph will be a turning point in my career'

CHENNAI: Veteran tactician S Dakshinamoorthy has been coaching for ages, so much so that a student he worked with about two decades ago, R Kamaraj, served as his assistant at the Ahmedabad Defenders franchise for the Prime Volleyball League Season 2.

The 65-year-old Dakshinamoorthy, who took to coaching in the mid-1980s, has shaped the careers of numerous players, including 30+ India internationals (across various age groups). The noted coach recently boosted his already impressive CV by guiding the Defenders team all the way in the second edition of Prime Volleyball.

Days after reaching new heights, Dakshinamoorthy said that the PVL triumph would be a “turning point” in his coaching career. “Prime Volleyball is a top tournament, so I consider winning it a huge achievement. I experienced one of the best moments of my life when I lifted the PVL trophy,” Dakshinamoorthy, whose Ahmedabad side edged out Bengaluru Torpedoes 3-2 in an edge-of-the-seat final in Kochi last Sunday, told DT Next.

“I got the opportunity to coach a team in the League [for the second year in a row] and I made full use of it. After winning the title, I felt that I had accomplished something in volleyball. I come from Thirukattupalli in Thanjavur district. Via my victory, I was able to show that those who come from humble beginnings can achieve big,” added Dakshinamoorthy, who was named the ‘Best coach’ of Prime Volleyball Season 2.

“Winning the PVL is one of the high points of my coaching career. I consider it as a turning point… more opportunities and exposure for not only me but also my players.”

How Ahmedabad crossed the final hurdle

Having stumbled in title decider in the inaugural edition – Ahmedabad went down to Kolkata Thunderbolts in straight sets – Dakshinamoorthy and Co. were second time lucky.

Asked how the team crossed the last hurdle this time, Dakshinamoorthy replied: “In a meeting ahead of the final, I told my players that we (the franchise) had missed an opportunity to win the title the previous year (2022). I told them that winning Prime Volleyball could be a lifetime achievement for them. I asked the players to contribute their best. I feel that the players got motivated by those words.”

‘Players are the reason for my success’

Despite being the most successful coach in the League’s short history – he has a winner’s trophy and a runner-up medal in his cabinet – Dakshinamoorthy showed modesty, saying that he could not have achieved what he did without the support of his players.

“All the players were sincere at training. The victory was a fruit of the hard work we put in. We were together at all times and did not have any internal problems. All of us took our team in the right direction and worked towards one goal – winning the title. The players understood my philosophy and gave it their all. I wanted the players to be accountable for their actions. They did their best and helped us achieve the target.”