There are few coaches or athletes who have had as profound of an impact on sports as Dave Rillera Jr. had on volleyball.
Now, the island's volleyball community is in a state of morning as the 50-year-old died on Tuesday March 31 after a sudden illness.
“He really cared about the teams he coached and the players he worked with,” said Al Garrido, Rillera’s best friend of 30 years. “We spent many years playing together, coaching together and being part of the volleyball community together. Volleyball brought us together, but our friendship went far beyond volleyball. He was one of my closest friends for most of my life.”
As a volleyball player, Rillera was fierce. He was respected.
In 1994, he helped Guam win the gold medal in indoor volleyball at the 3rd Micronesian Games in Hagåtña, Guam. Nine years later, he and Brian Matanane won the bronze medal in beach volleyball at the South Pacific Games in Palau.
"A lot of the younger players may not realize this, but Dave was a fierce competitor when he played, especially in the 90s and early 2000s," Garrido said. "He may not have been the biggest guy, but he could do everything. He could set, pass, and hit outside. For his size, his net defense was very impressive. He had a very creative and consistent jump serve, and he was just a very smart player who understood the game at a high level. He was a tough competitor."
According to Garrido, Rillera was the only volleyball player "on Guam to have an indoor and an outdoor medal."
As a coach, he was methodical, caring and professional. His pedigree was substantial.
At the time of his death, Rillera was head coach for VIBE volleyball program's women's and junior teams, Legacy Volleyball Club's U17 girls volleyball team, and the Guam Volleyball Federation junior national beach volleyball team.
“There are many coaches and players who are passionate about volleyball, but it would be very hard to match the amount of time, passion, and commitment Dave gave to the sport, especially on the beach volleyball side,” Garrido said. “If anyone ever asked him for extra training or help with beach volleyball, he was always there. He never asked for money or anything in return. He just did it for the love of volleyball and for the people.
“He gave his time, his knowledge, and his energy to the sport for decades, and that made a huge impact on volleyball in Guam,” Garrido added.
Up until the day Rillera passed away, he had coached Katrina Toves’ daughter, Eden on Team Legacy. Katrina was excited that her daughter was receiving Rillera's mentorship, the same way she had when she played for him at Simon Sanchez High School nearly two decades earlier.
“He was so encouraging with her. He taught her so much,” Toves said. … “My daughter loved him as a coach. At a time when she was feeling discouraged, he encouraged her and brought back her love of the game.
“I was really looking forward to him helping her learn and love the game, the way he did it for me,” she said.
“He really cared about the teams he coached and the players he worked with,” Garrido said.
The day Rillera died, he and Garrido were supposed to meet for lunch. Garrido had always looked forward to sharing a meal with his friend and laughing at his cringe-worthy jokes.
“What I’m going to miss the most is just being around him and his jokes. He would crack some of the stupidest jokes that were so bad they were actually funny. That was just Dave. He was a good friend, a good person, and someone who cared a lot about the people around him.”
And as much as he cared about others, others loved him equally - showing respect and gratitude for his kindness, selflessness, and devotion.
“He’s one of the reasons why I continued playing volleyball,” said Kendra Byrd, a former member of Guam’s women’s national beach volleyball team, who was coached by Rillera at Tiyan High School.
Later that evening, Rillera was scheduled to coach one of his teams at a tournament at the University of Guam Calvo Field House. Katrina said that - a couple of days prior - Rillera had invited her to play on his team.
“I was going to see him and play with him in two days, so I am still in shock that I won't see him and get to play for him one last time,” she said. “He taught me everything I now know about the sport.”
“Dave was an amazing player and teammate. But more importantly, he was a great person,” said volleyball coach Chris Shepherd. “He will be missed, but never forgotten.”
Usługi
Final respects will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday April 25, at Ada's Mortuary in Sinajana.
Burial to follow at the Vicente A. Limtiaco Memorial Cemetery in Piti.