CIGNAL went all-out in their ‘best training camp yet’ in Japan in a bid to win their seventh Spikers’ Turf title.
Having won five of the last seven conferences, the HD Spikers’ trip to the Land of the Rising Sun was nothing short of productive, as they took on powerhouse club teams from the Japan SV.League and some of the country’s finest university squads.
Safe to say, Cignal isn’t letting its guard down even as the playing field has been trimmed to just six teams in a roughly two-month competition.
“This 2025 Japan training camp namin, ito talaga yung pinaka-best training camp for us kasi una, nakapag-tune up kami with two teams ng Division 1, isang Division 2, tsaka best of universities in Nagoya,” head coach Dexter Clamor said during Spikers’ Turf media day activities.
For a team so used to winning, Clamor said the best part about that camp back in January was actually losing games.
It gave them a much-needed reality check on where the country’s most dominant local men’s volleyball team stands among some of Asia and the world’s best crop of talent.
“Kumbaga kung dito sa Pilipnas, lagi kaming nanalo, laging straight sets, du’n na-experience namin ‘yung matalo, ‘yung tambak kami. It was a good experience dahil marami kaming nabaon at dadalhin namin sa Spikers’ Turf,” Clamor said.
“Malaking bagay sa’min yun na kahit talo kami dun, 'di namin siya tinignan na mas mababa ‘yung kumpyansa namin. Mas mataas kasi alam namin na kailangan naming i-improve yung mga skills na ‘yun.”
Veteran playmaker Owa Retamar, who has won and lost with the national team over the years internationally, was given yet another reminder that there still is a long and winding road for Philippine volleyball — either in club or national level — to be at par with the rest of the world.
“Napakalayo pa talaga namin sa international na level. Ang dami pa naming kailangang ayusin, pagtrabahuan, ma-experience para umabot kami sa ganung level. Sana,” Retamar said.
Clamor added: “At least nakita nila kung nasaan ang Pilipinas, yung Philippine volleyball kasi most of them nasa national team. Nakita nila yung difference when it comes to receive, sa defense, yung pagiging precise ng setting, so yun yung mga bagay na natutunan namin.”
READ: Bryan Bagunas not missing FIVB Volleyball World Championship
Sans on-the-mend former MVP Bryan Bagunas, the mostly-intact HD Spikers’ title defense in the oncoming 2025 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference goes underway on Friday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
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