PHILIPPINE national teams, like those in basketball and volleyball, are used to having little to almost no time to prepare for major international competitions.
Alas Pilipinas Men, for instance, only had a little over a year to gear up for the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship which the country hosted.
But this time, their women counterparts will have four full years before getting an automatic spot in the 2029 edition of the global conclave as hosts.
While bringing the tournament to Manila is a feat in itself, Alas captain Jia de Guzman sees that four-year window as the biggest win the Nationals must capitalize on.
“Sobrang ganda na this early pa lang, sinabihan na tayo kung kailan mangyayari 'yung World Championship,” de Guzman said.
“That's what happening naman with the FIVB calendar, it’s set pretty early to give all of the teams to prepare.”
Racking up silvers and bronze medals in Asian competitions over the past year gave Philippine women’s volleyball a much-needed confidence boost after a lengthy dismal stretch.
Even if the results from these regional tilts showed signs of promise, by no means should the Philippines stick with its outdated playbook of forming rosters and training teams days or weeks before battle, de Guzman said.
“We can't really bank on what we've been doing the past years na few weeks lang 'yung preparation for a tournament,” the Alas Women captain said.
“The past years have been very kind to us in terms of results but that's only banking on weeks, few months of preparation. This time, we're years ahead, so we have to take advantage of this.”
A chance like no other
Drawing reference to the men's volleyball powerhouses in the country now, de Guzman highlighted a winning mentality carried by some of the world's best that isn't exactly about medals and titles.
More than anything, the skipper hopes to see a renewed desire to lift Philippine volleyball with all stakeholders' hands on deck in the next four years leading to the World Championship.
"If you listen to yung interviews ng mga top 4, top 6, top 18 na naglaro dito sa Men's World Championship, even Bulgaria, even USA, alll of them kept saying the same thing. They wanted to see how far or how close they are to the best teams in the world. No one ever mentioned the podium. No one ever mentioned the medal," she said.
"They just wanted to show that they represent the country, make the most out of the opportunity of learning from the best teams in the world. That's what we want also."
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