Brazilian coach leaves Akari

Akari head coach Jorge Souza de Brito has stepped down from his post, the club announced on Thursday.

The Brazilian coach resigned after calling the shots for the Chargers, who showed great potential behind a good mix of veteran and young talents, in four Premier Volleyball League conferences.

"Coach Jorge Souza de Brito has submitted his resignation as head coach of the Akari Chargers to be effective 15 December 2023," the club said in a statement released on its official social media account.

"Akari management has accepted the resignation of Coach Jorge and offer our sincerest appreciation and thank him for his time and service for the four conferences he has served as head tactician of this young promising team."

Akari tapped De Brito in June last year when the expansion team joined the country's first and only women's professional volleyball league for the Reinforced Conference.

De Brito, who also handles the national women's team, had at his disposal a competitive lineup in the second All-Filipino Conference, his last tournament.

The arrival of new blue-chip recruits in former De La Salle University standouts Fifi Sharma and Justine Jazareno hooking up with prolific scorer Faith Nisperos and grizzled veteran Dindin Santiago-Manabat made the Chargers a dark horse in the season-ending conference.

However, the squad under his watch did not meet expectations with only five wins in 11 games, good for just seventh place in the 12-club field.

Overall, De Brito collected an 11-21 win-loss record for the franchise. Akari finished eighth in the 2022 Reinforced Conference, eighth in the first AFC and 10th in the Invitational Conference.

"We wish Coach Jorge the best of luck in his future endeavors," the club said.

Akari has yet to name a replacement for De Brito as it looks to be more competitive for the next season tentatively scheduled to begin in February 2024.