BARUERI, BRAZIL—The Philippine women’s volleyball team immediately went back to work on Friday, just a night’s sleep removed from its tuneup against Brazilian Superliga A club team Sao Caetano.
On the second day of training at Sportville here, the PH spikers went through two training sessions designed to address a couple of areas that could eventually develop them to thrive on the floor as one close-knit unit.We have to improve in all areas and develop ways to make them play efficiently together,’’ said head coach Jorge Edson Souza de Brito after witnessing the team compete in a high-level matchup for the first time with a cohesive Sao Caetano side despite practicing only once on the same day. The scores (25-20, 25-17, 25-20, 27-29, 15-9) in the five-setter against the hosts didn’t go to the country’s favor, but it showed an initial assessment of the direction that this team has to go through to reach the pinnacle of success in the coming Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam. The coaching staff divided the team into two during the morning training session and primary delved on the technical skills of open spikers Alyssa Valdez, Jema Galanza and Ces Molina, opposite spikers Kat Tolentino, Mylene Paat and liberos Kath Arado and Dawn Macandili. Middle blockers Jaja Santiago, Aby Maraño, Ria Meneses, Majoy Baron and Dell Palomata, on the other side, went to the weights room and got a refresher on the roles that they have perform together with setters Kyle Negrito and Iris Tolenada. We watched the video (of the game against Sao Caetano) and we reminded them of some important things. Although the skills and technical know-how are there, we will be looking to satisfy our vision for the national team,’’ said coach Odjie Mamon.But we just had our third practice in two days. I think by the time we play our second tuneup match, we will be able to do what the coaching staff wants to see,’’ added Mamon, who helped de Brito in practice together with coaches Grace Antigua, Raffy Mosuela, Tina Salak and therapist Grace Gomez. The Philippine National Volleyball Federation, led by its president RamonTats’’ Suzara organized the Brazilian camp in preparation for the medal bid of the squad in the coming 31st SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam.
PNVF executive board member and national team chairperson Tony Boy Liao accompanied the team in the trip supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Rebisco, PLDT and the City of Taguig.
Philippine Ambassador to Brazil Mario F. Chan came all the way from Brasilia, Brazil’s seat of power, to watch the tuneup of the national spikers along with Consul General Chad Jacinto and Philippine embassy staff Rowena Neri, Arnel Bautista and Erika Limlengco.
Team Philippines last won a medal in SEAG women’s volleyball with a bronze in 2005 Manila, 12 years after capturing the gold in the 1993 Singapore edition.
De Brito said the PH women spikers would play five to six tuneup matches during the two-week training camp with the next assignment against another top-caliber Brazilian club scheduled Tuesday.
