Philippines to host Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship

Adding more fire to the growing popularity of volleyball in the country, the Philippines has been tapped by the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) to host the upcoming Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship from April 8-16. It is the first time the country has been selected to be the venue for this prestigious tournament which also serves as a qualifier for the FIVB World Men’s Club Volleyball Championship in Brazil in May of this year.

This was announced in a simple press conference held at Aracama restaurant in Taguig City, organized by Sports Core Event Management and Consultancy, Inc. (the same group behind the successful Philippine Super Liga), the Philippine Volleyball Federation (PVF) and PLDT HOME Fibr—the tournament’s title sponsor.

“This tournament is a huge undertaking by the PVF,” said PVF President Karl Chan in a statement. “We are awed by the project, but this is an opportunity that we could not let pass.”

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Vietnam was originally picked by the AVC to host this event, but backed out a couple of months ago. The AVC then turned to the Philippines and the PVF immediately stepped forward to take on the challenge.

“We owe it to the AVC that we are being recognized as capable of hosting a big (volleyball) event such as the Asian Men’s Club Championship,” Chan added.

The press conference had the key movers of Philippine volleyball on tap in Ramon “Tats” Suzara, AVC Chairman and Philippine FIVB representative, Phillip “Popoy” Juico, PVF Chairman, Rustico “Otie” Camangian, PVF Secretary General and Gary Dujali, head of PLDT HOME Broadband.

“Since this is a club championship, each country is allowed to employ the services of foreign players,” Suzara bared. “The Philippine team is looking to be reinforced by two imports from Korea.”

The tournament will commence right smack in the middle of the 2014 Philippine Super Liga (PSL) All-Pinoy Championship, but Juico—who also holds the position of PSL Chairman—announced that the league will take a break to make way for this endeavor.

“The PSL will give way to the Asian Men’s Championship by halting the league midstream so that all Filipinos may support this tournament,” he said.

As for the composition and coaching staff of the Philippine team, Camangian shared the process of the selection.

“We will be naming the Head Coach within the next couple of days and we will be conducting try-outs at the San Juan Arena on January 15, 18 and 19,” the former national team stalwart said.

“Initially, the invitation will be extended to those who saw action in the inaugural PSL Grand Prix Men’s Division, but we are also looking at those who are in the college ranks to try-out for the team as well,” announced Suzara.

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The collegiate volleyball season ends this March and the try-outs could open the doors for such young superstars like NU’s Peter Den Mar Torres, UST’s Mark Gil Alfafara and Ateneo’s sensational rookie Marck Espejo for their maiden sortie for the national team.

From the PSL, league MVP Kheeno Franco, pagodas AJ Pareja, Rocky Honrade and JP Torres along with setters Rolly Casilian and Janley Patrona are said to have the inside track into cracking a spot on the roster. Wunderkinds John Depante, Henry Pecaña and NU women’s team Head Coach Edjet Mabbayad are also favored to impress during the three day try-out process.

Dujali, for PLDT HOME Fibr’s part, disclosed a five year program wherein the nation’s broadband giant will be backing the PVF’s effort culminating in the 2019 SEA Games which will be hosted by the Philippines.

“This is one of the advocacies of the MVP group (through PLDT HOME Fibr),” Dujali—also at the forefront in the supporting the national women’s team the Power Pinays during the recent AVC women’s championship in Thailand—stated. “We are here to support Philippine volleyball not only from the monetary aspect, but also by helping promote the sport in our PLDT HOME channels as well as streaming the tournament live.

“Volleyball is a sport well played by Filipinos. We used to be strong contenders in the region and we hope to become contenders again,” he said.

The championship will be aired live over TV5 on free TV.

As for the competing nations, Suzara said that that will be known within the next week.

“The deadline for entries to the tournament is on January 15, so we will get a clearer view of the competition by then,” he said. “But we expect about twelve to fourteen teams joining the tournament.”

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Defending titlists M. Kalleh of Iran are expected to be joined by contingents from China, Korea, Kazakhstan and Japan while other nations that could beat the January 15 deadline are Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Chinese-Taipei. Southeast Asian powers Thailand, Vietnam, Mayalsia and Indonesia could round out the competition.

The Philippines has never competed in this tournament as the club scene in the country only debuted in 2013. The host nation will be hard-pressed to match wits with the best in Asia, but this will be a good start for the now fledgling volleyball nation.

“During my term as (Philippine Sports Commission) PSC Chairman (in the 1990s), the Philippines was the most dominant country in the region (in terms of volleyball),” Juico shaed. “We are taking the baby steps back to that kind of prominence.”

Like Gilas Pilipinas during the FIBA Asia Championship last August, the home crowd fuelled the team’s eventual success and maybe a boost from the local volleyball fans can help catapult the Philippine men’s volleyball team to similar greatness.

See you in April. Laban Pilipinas!

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