Tryouts for PH team to AVC women’s club volleyball tilt set for January 16

Better late than never, as the cliché goes.

Yahoo! Sports Philippines was recently informed of an open try-out for slots in the Philippine women’s team that will be competing in the upcoming Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Women’s Club Volleyball Championship that commences this April 17-24 in Nakhonpathom, Thailand.

The try-outs—the first of three—will be held at the Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) gymnasium in Manila on Thursday, January 16th beginning at 6:00PM.

This was bared by Philippine Super Liga (PSL) Commissioner Dr. Ian Laurel recently. The PSL has been helping the Philippine Volleyball Federation (PVF) and its interim leadership led by its President Karl Chan, its Chairman (former Philippine Sports Commission Chairman) Philip Ella Juico and its Secretary General Rustico “Otie” Camangian by offering its players to form the core of the national teams seeing action not only in Thailand, but also in Manila for the 2014 PLDT HOME Fibr Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship.

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“The try-outs on Thursday will be the first of a set to form a very competitive team that will be sent to the AVC tournament,” Laurel said.

The dates and venue of the subsequent try-outs will be announced later.

Those who saw action in the recently concluded PSL Grand Prix will be headlining those who will be making themselves available for national team duties in the distaff side. Among those expected to participate are the core of the Power Pinays led by skipper Angge Tabaquero and former college teammate Aiza Maizo-Pontillas (both played for Cagayan Valley in the PSL). Power Pinays setter Chie Saet, quickers Michelle Datuin and Royse Tubino as well as liberos Jheck Dionela and Lizlee Ann Gata-Pantone will be at the forefront of the initial try-out.

However, word is also going around that players from the collegiate ranks have also been invited to try-out and since most leagues do not have games on Thursdays, aficionados expect the likes of Ateneo’s Alyssa Valdez, NU’s sibling tandem of Din-Din and Jaja Santiago, as well as some members of the reigning UAAP queens the DLSU Lady Spikers to show up as well.

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Those who also have the intent of trying out but were not among those invited to may also have the chance to do so by notifying the PVF through its offices within the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Malate, Manila. Walk-ons may be have the chance to try-out in the next scheduled date.

While there is no official word on who the anointed Head Coach will be for the undertaking, many expect that Cagayan Valley mentor (and Power Pinays Head Coach) Nes Pamilar to be among the top candidates to continue the program he began last year. Other names being considered for national chief are Cignal’s Sammy Acaylar, PLDT MyDSL’s Roger Gorayeb and PLDT MyDSL Men’s Division top man Francis Vicente. The PVF will be making a formal announcement on the matter within the next few days.

AVC Chairman Ramon “Tats” Suzara—during a recent press conference baring the Philippines’ hosting privilege of the Asian men’s club tourney—informed members of the media that the men’s squad will be parading two imports from Korea for the Manila tilt. It is also likely that the women’s team may also have foreign reinforcements help in their efforts to claim this elusive title.

Immediately, names like reigning PSL GP MVP Wanitchaya Luangtonglang (TMS-Philippine Army), Wanida Kotruang (Cagayan Valley) and even the American duo of Kaylee Manns and Savannah Noyes (PLDT MyDSL) became the first players suggested as Philippine imports, but all of that will still go through a selection process.

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Many believe, however, that if Pamilar is named Head Coach he may lean towards re-hiring the young Thai tandem of wunderkind Kannika Thipachot and ace playmaker Phomla Soraya back into his fold. The two Bangkok lasses helped Pamilar and the Rising Suns capture the 2013 Shakey’s V-League Open Conference without dropping a single assignment, winning all sixteen of their matches in the tournament.

But with the first order of business selecting a national team, many sectors can afford to be patient on this development.

The PVF is slowly but surely making up for the debacles of its previous administrations by fielding two bonafide and accredited national teams to two international competitions. PVF officials are looking at also sending a delegation to the upcoming Asian Games in Inchon, Korea as well as having the Philippines represented in the 2014 AVC Men’s Volleyball Championship in Bahrain this coming October.

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See you all at EAC on Thursday. Mabuhay ang balibolsitang Pilipino!

Follow Noel Zarate on Twitter (@NoelZarate) and email sportztackle@yahoo.com