PH women’s volleyball team to hold tryouts for 2019 tourneys

MANILA, Philippines – The Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas, Inc. (LVPI) is set to stage open tryouts on January 24 to 25 to expand the national women’s volleyball pool in preparation for the major tournaments this year.

“With 4 major tournaments ahead, this is going to be a very busy season for our national team,” said LVPI presdient Peter Cayco.

“That’s why we decided to call for a pair of open tryouts to further expand the pool and make sure that we will have a very competitive team in the Asian and Southeast Asian tourneys that will be held this year.”

In a letter sent to PSL team owners and managers on Wednesday, LVPI president Peter Cayco requested them to allow their players to attend the open tryouts held at the Arellano University gym along Taft Avenue in Manila.

Aside from the PSL, the federation will also send letters addressed to officials of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to allow their players to join.

National team head coach Shaq Delos Santos as well as deputies Kungfu Reyes and Brian Esquibel will preside the tryouts in a bid to bolster the pool with additional talents that will compete in various international tournaments ahead.

Those who want to walk-in will also be welcomed to try their luck.

It’s going to be an action-packed year for the national squad.

The Nationals will compete in the AVC Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championship in China from April 20 to 28, followed by the 3rd Asian Women’s U23 Women’s Volleyball Championship in Vietnam from July 13 to 21.

They will see action in the 20th Asian Senior Women’s Championship in South Korea from August 31 to September 8 before plunging into action in the 30th Southeast Asian Games, which the country will host from November 30 to December 10.

Leading the core of the national pool are seasoned international campaigners in team captain Aby Maraño, Jaja Santiago, Alyssa Valdez, Mika Reyes, Maika Ortiz, Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, Julia Morado, Kim Fajardo, Cha Cruz, Mylene Paat, Kianna Dy, Dawn Macandili and Denden Lazaro, who all campaigned in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Jasmine Nabor, Grethcel Soltones, Risa Sato, and Jema Galanza also earned pool spots after seeing action in the Asian Women’s Volleyball Cup in Thailand.

“There are still a lot of untapped talent outside this pool and we’re looking to have them there,” Cayco said, hoping to see some new faces like Kalei Mau, Angel Canino, Milena Alessandrini, Faith Nisperos, Alyssa Solomon, Tots Carlos, Dell Palomata and Eya Laure in the two-day tryouts.

The men’s national team, on the other hand, is set to call for tryouts next month. – Rappler.com