ALAS Pilipinas head coach Taka Minowa believes Asian volleyball has some work to do if its dominance at the grassroots level is to translate into sustained success at the senior stage.
Amid Alas Girls’ historic run in the 2026 FIVB Girls’ U17 World Championship, the juniors-turned-seniors team mentor shared his thoughts on the challenges facing the region and the need to strengthen the pathway from youth development to seniors level.
READ: Alas Gilas still assured of best finish even after Round of 16 loss
For Minowa, the issue goes beyond one result or one generation of players.
“The challenge for Asian volleyball, in my opinion, is that although many Asian countries are among the strongest in the world at the grassroots level, they tend to be overtaken by other countries as players move up through the age categories,” Minowa wrote on his Instagram page.
The Japanese coach pointed to the previous U17 World Championship as an example of Asia’s potential, noting that three of the four semifinalists in that edition were Asian teams: Japan, Chinese-Taipei, and eventual champion China.
Yet the challenge, he said, lies in sustaining that advantage, as players progress through the developmental pipeline.
“I think it would be valuable for Asian volleyball to openly discuss what is missing in the transition from grassroots development to the senior level, and to learn from and support each other in strengthening this pathway across Asia,” Minowa added.
What's next for Philippine volleyball
His comments carry particular weight given his familiarity with Philippine volleyball across different age groups.
Before taking over the seniors Alas program, Minowa previously served as Alas Girls head coach, giving him a firsthand look at the development of young Filipina players and the demands of competing against Asia’s best.
He now finds himself tasked with translating that developmental experience into the senior national team, which is preparing for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games later this year.
The Philippines’ most recent U17 campaign offered both encouragement and reminder of the gap that remains.
Alas Girls secured a historic Round of 16 berth and will finish with the country’s best-ever placement in an FIVB world championship event, regardless of how they fare in the classification phase.
For Minowa, however, the bigger objective extends beyond a single tournament finish.
The challenge is ensuring that players who emerge as competitive prospects at the youth level continue to develop, remain exposed to high-level competition, and eventually become contributors to the seniors squad.
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