IT’S been almost a year since the idea of Fil-foreign trio Brooke Van Sickle, Savi Davison and MJ Phillips donning the Philippine colors was first floated.
From being sent Alas Pilipinas tryout invites to representing their clubs in the 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League, talks on the multi-awarded trio possibly playing for the national team ahead of a busy 2025 home stretch have gained even more traction.
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But why has such a move stalled for as long as it already has?
For starters, shifting federations under FIVB regulations isn’t an overnight process.
While Van Sickle was alredy under the impression that her and Phillips’ paperworks have been ‘processed,’ Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) chief Ramon ‘Tats’ Suzara bared that there are still pertinent documentary requirements yet to be submitted and processed.
“I saw [news] that Brooke and MJ are willing to join the national team. But just to make it clear, Hollie [Reyes], our team manager, has been following up with their management about the requirements for submitting for the change of federation,” Suzara said.
“Our role is to process this with the FIVB. But until they submit the complete requirements, madali kasi sabihin na 'I want to join the national team,' but until they submit these requirements, only then can we request with USA Volleyball or the Canadian Volleyball Federation to change their federation, and then the FIVB will approve this at any time by the executive committee.”
The concurrent FIVB executive vice president also pointed out how the Fil-foreign trio missed the first window to have their federation shifts approved when the governing body last convened in March.
“During last month's executive board meeting of the FIVB, we approved about maybe 20 changes of federation for different countries. Sayang 'yun eh, hindi tayo umabot. We have been telling them to submit the requirements,” Suzara said.
’Support their requirements’
Suzara urged the PVL mother teams of Van Sickle, Phillips and Davison — Petro Gazz and PLDT — to extend their assistance in the submission of the necessary paperworks to complete their Alas Pilipinas shift once and for all.
“I would like to ask sana for the help of the management of Petro Gazz [and PLDT] to support their requirements because it is very important eh, the legal department will check it if they are really valid for a change of federation,” Suzara said.
“I’m hoping that these requirements will be met and they could be part of the national team.
“The sooner, the better so that they could be part of the national team because Alas will start training already next week. The others can join, 'yung mga UAAP, after May.”
Still to come for Alas Women this year are the newly-rebranded AVC Nations Cup (formerly AVC Challenge Cup), Southeast Asian (SEA) V.League and the 33rd SEA Games.
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