WAS it a case of conflict of interest?
The suspension issued by the UAAP to University of the East coach Jerry Yee caught the volleyball world by surprise last Sunday, but it is possible his banishment from the sidelines was not related to his work with the Lady Warriors.
Cracks between Yee and Adamson University and the school’s major sponsor, Akari, began to surface in March 2023 when the Lady Falcons were still competing in the last volleyball wars with Yee at the helm.
In a statement, the veteran tactician said he was still coaching Adamson when a PVL newcomer team–Farm Fresh–approached him to enlist his services.
This struck a nerve with Akari, which bankrolls the Lady Falcons and has a team in the PVL.
“The sponsor conveyed that it wasn’t happy and that it would be hard to continue with our arrangements,” Yee said.
Yee and the Adamson-Akari camp eventually parted ways, with the university stating last June 7, 2023, that it had released Yee from his responsibilities as a coach.
“We understand his desire to return to the professional league and though it pains us to see him go, he has our complete and sincere support in his new endeavor,” the school said.
It all went downhill from there.
Six vital cogs of the Lady Falcons that bagged the bronze medal in the UAAP followed Yee to the Farm Fresh side, with a seventh in Lorene Toring joining after tearing her ACL right before UAAP Season 86.
Star setter Louie Romero, powerful lefties Trisha Tubu and Kate Santiago, middle blockers Rizza Cruz and Ckyle Tagsip, and libero Cae Lazo did not finish their remaining playing years and turned pro.
Romero turned her back on an initial announcement that she would return for one more go-around with the San Marcelino side.
The exodus proved to be the last straw and burned whatever remained of the bridge between Yee and his former employers.
Interestingly, all of Yee’s current coaching jobs– the Foxies, UE, and NCAA queen College of St. Benilde– have one backer: billionaire Frank Lao of Strong Group Athletics.
