THE Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas Inc. was pleased with the turnout for the national volleyball team tryouts and is confident the squads to be formed will be able to put up a fight in the 30th Southeast Asian Games.
LVPI president Peter Cayco said men’s team coach Dante Alinsunurin and women’s team coach Shaq Delos Santos have a “good problem” with the large number of players who are willing to play for flag and country.
“The two-day tryouts for the women’s national team was very good. All the players we were expecting arrived and attended the tryouts,” said Cayco.
“Now for the men’s volleyball team tryouts, nagmukhang miniscule yung sa women’s because a total of 85 attended the tryouts for the men’s volleyball team. We’re very happy, the LVPI is very happy.”
LVPI is confident of bagging a medal in the volleyball events of the SEA Games scheduled Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.
“Podium finish yan for the men’s and women’s. Kulay na lang ang pag-uusapan,” announced Cayco at the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday at the Tapa King Restaurant at Farmers Plaza in Cubao.
“But we’re confident kami na podium finish,” added the LVPI president in the session presented by San Miguel Corporation, Tapa King, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.
The Philippines will look to battle for podium spots against regional powers Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam.
The last time a Philippine volleyball team won a medal in the SEA Games came in 2005 when the country also hosted the biennial meet.
“Yung beach volleyball ngayon pa lang kami magmi-meet for the coaching staff selection,” said Cayco. “Sana podium din, although mas confident ako sa indoor kasi nakikita ko at naa-assess namin ng maayos. Yung beach volleyball siguro after the tryouts maybe we can give you the fearless forecast.”
Tryouts for the beach volleyball teams will be made in two weeks’ time after the coaching staff is chosen.
Meanwhile, the list of the 20-man pool for both the men’s and women’s national teams shall be submitted by the coaching staff to the LVPI anytime this week, according to Cayco.
“I don’t want to pre-empt the coaching staff, but I think what they saw, yung wish list nila nandun both in the women’s and the men’s team,” he said.
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