Philippine Super Liga: two distinct clarifications, if you please

Let's start this on an upbeat note: Admission for the upcoming Philippine Super Liga (PSL) is ABSOLUTELY FREE. However, you have to make sure to get your tickets from the PSL offices in Vito Cruz, Manila way ahead of time. I've been told that for opening day (July 7), all the "colored" seats at the PhilSports Arena have already been claimed. This now only leaves the upper portion of the venue available. The PhilSports ticket booths will open promptly at 10:00AM on opening day on a first come, first served basis. May the force be with you all...

Being a league that is about to embark on its maiden voyage, the PSL is not without its fair share of grey areas when it comes to people’s interpretations of its operations and inner workings. There have been many questions—especially by this writer—but there has also been a concerted effort by league officials to make sure every policy and regulation is explained thoroughly to all those involved.

PSL Commissioner Dr. Ian Laurel recently clarified the interpretation of many things.

Two clarifications stood out: firstly, the PSL is NOT a professional league. By definition, anyone who becomes a “professional” volleyball player means that that player uses volleyball to primarily earn a living. The PSL is a Club League—as it is defined in the FIVB. This means that the players who will see action in the PSL—although compensated monetarily for their services—will not be doing this for a living. In short, it will not be their permanent job. Many of the players here actually have full-time employments and/or businesses and have chosen to participate here for leisure, albeit receiving cash for playing. The PSL Invitational lasts only about three weeks and will reopen in October with the PSL Open. This is not a professional league, in that regard.

Secondly, let’s address the eligibility issue.

Since getting a whiff of the formation of the PSL, the UAAP has taken measures to make sure the participants in their league are governed by the prime directive of being “Student-Athletes”; meaning they are students first before being athletes. When the De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Spikers indicated that they intended to join the PSL as part of their training for the upcoming defense of their UAAP crown, the UAAP board weighed everything. After all, the Shakey’s V-League has been allowing UAAP, NCAA and even WNCA and NCRAA teams to participate in its season; allowing the teams who join to use their exposure there to gain experience points in preparation for their respective tournaments, which happens during the second semester of the school year. Ateneo has been one of the biggest benefactors of this as evidenced by their consecutive appearances in the UAAP women's volleyball finals.

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The biggest difference between the Shakey’s V-League and the PSL is the monetary aspect. DLSU declared that it would waive its option to receive compensation for its participation.

There should be no more problem anymore, right?

Well, the UAAP board—after studying all the implications that may arise later on—decreed that players undergoing residency, freshmen, sophomores and juniors were barred from seeing action in the PSL. This is quite understandable since these young student-athletes still have a lot to do, both mentally and physically in balancing a multitude of undergraduate courses, quotas and maturity building blocks while at the same time preparing for the rigors of a volleyball season that will eat into their already packed scholastic schedules. The UAAP board, however, allowed fourth year and fifth year students with UAAP eligibility to take part in the PSL, provided the educational establishment they belong to agrees to allow them.

Notice that in the line-ups that have been released so far, no names appear from schools like the National University (NU), the University of the Philippines (UP), Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) and the Far Eastern University (FEU). These universities have chosen not to allow their older players to join. It is their discretion. It must be respected.

The University of Santo Tomas (UST) could have allowed its older players to join, but they have no more older players. Judy Ann Caballejo, Grace Rosario and Maika Ortiz have already graduated. Maruja Banaticla has opted not to play in her final year of eligibility because she has already found a job. The Tigresses have no more upperclassmen.

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DLSU has decided to forgo its PSL participation altogether because of the UAAP ruling as joining without its younger players would defeat the purpose they intended to achieve: train as one unit. It also goes without saying that PSL “eligible” players like skipper Abigail Maraño and Cyd Demecillo would not be joining the PSL to give complete focus to the Lady Spikers’ training. Reigning UAAP Finals MVP Michele Gumabao has already declared that she will forgo her final year of eligibility; hence, she is the PCSO Bingo Milyonaryo roster—together with a bunch of other DLSU alumna.

This leaves Adamson University and the University of the East (UE).

If you study the rosters carefully, you will notice that there are three UAAP eligible players suiting up in the inaugural PSL namely, Sheila Marie Pineda (Cagayan Valley) and May Macatuno (PLDT) of the Lady Falcons and Leuseht Dawis (PLDT), who happens to be this year’s captain for the Lady Warriors' redemption campaign. Their schools have allowed them to see action in the PSL, without prejudice.

You also might have noticed that there are two FEU players with UAAP eligibility that have also found spots in the PLDT line-up in center Wenneth Eulalio and open-hitter Rosemarie Vargas. In fact, original “official” rosters also included the names of Tin Agno, Mayjorie Roxas, Jhajha Tutanes and Eliza Abitan in the Cagayan Valley line-up. When the UAAP decision came out, all the Lady Tamaraws who were listed in the Rising Suns’ roster chose to return to Morayta as FEU forbade them from joining. Eulalio and Vargas (who still has a good three more years of eligibility in the UAAP) opted to not to return to the varsity and instead join the PSL Invitational. This was a case of personal discretion displayed by the two ace volleybelles. The consequence of this is that—allegedly—they lose their scholarships and will have to now begin paying for their tuition fees from here on out. However, this was a choice the two ladies made with a clean conscience, therefore, they now play Club volleyball in the PSL.

Commissioner Laurel, however, made another ruling very clear to this writer:

“During the upcoming PSL Open (which begins in October), ALL students who still have eligibility in their respective collegiate leagues are not allowed to join because—number one—the schedules will conflict with their collegiate seasons and—number two—their presence could strip them of their eligibility to play again in their respective collegiate leagues, should they choose to return later on.”

I sense an evolution, although I will not talk about it here yet.

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I’m not familiar with the rules surrounding other collegiate leagues such as the NCAA, WNCAA, NCRAA and provincial leagues, but I think the UAAP decree is a good example for the other leagues to pattern their rulings after.

Lastly—and not a clarification—I have also been informed that there will be three games played on every gameday, and not two as I originally thought. Sources from Solar Sports tell me that the first two games will be handled using full coverage (the one that we’re all accustomed to seeing) and will be aired two hours delayed (except for the semifinals and finals, which will air live). The third game will only be shot via Electronic News Gathering (ENG) method—involving only one camera—and will not be aired. The moment I get official word on this, I will let you all know.

We’re days away from the PSL, guys. I’m truly looking forward to it.

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