ALAS Pilipinas needs not look far for inspiration for what a long-term national team program looks like.
Thailand spent years taking its lumps against Asia’s best, developing players from the grassroots, and staying the course even when results did not immediately follow.
The reward finally came last August, when the Thais rallied past continental giant China in the AVC Women’s Volleyball Continental Championship final to become the first Southeast Asian nation to ever qualify for the Olympics.
Now, as the Philippines heads into the Asian Games, that blueprint, indeed, feels closer to home.
The Filipinas will face China, the very team Thailand defeated for its historic Olympic berth, along with another regional power in Kazakhstan.
READ: Win or lose, just facing Asia's best is part of process for Alas
For Alas, the Thais' breakthrough is a reminder that success isn't built in a single tournament, or even by a single generation. Instead, itc omes by staying together long enough to turn years of difficult lessons into winning habits.
Captain Jia de Guzman explained that Thailand's victory over the Chinese was significant precisely because it came after years of losses - and learning from all of them.
“‘Yung recent win ng Thailand against China, that's a very big win, but they went through so many losses against teams that they couldn't beat before. Pero kasi, para matuto silang manalo in that stage, they had to go through difficult periods. Kami, we know we have to go through that also," she said.
System overhaul
Coach Taka Minowa was of the same mind - but with more specifics sprinkled in.
“As a Southeast Asian country, it's really motivating for us because since we don't have any long-term program, I think that's the right way to copy Thailand, especially like EST Cola also. They brought in mostly, probably under-20 players,” he said, referring to the newly-crowned PVL Invitational champion guest team.
That, he reiterates, should usher in changes in a developmental system that has kept the Philippines from sustained succes.
“I think for more than 10 years, we didn't bring the under-20 for the Asian Championship, so if you compare to the process of taking care of the under-category, we're really missing," he said. “It’s not about the senior team, also the grassroots also we are missing.”
In all, it's of utmost importance to remember that Alas hasn't arrived just yet. It's still on its way to becoming the force it wants to be on the international stage.
“That's why we are thinking for a long-term program para madaanan namin lahat ng kailangan naming matutunan,” de Guzman added.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
