COACH Oliver Almadro said Ateneo has opted to skip the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Collegiate Conference, which kicks off on July 21, to to focus on the Open Conference later in the year.
The Lady Eagles are still on a transition phase from longtime coach Tai Bundit to Almandro and the erstwhile coach of Ateneo's men's team said time is simply not on their side in terms of preparation for a PVL stint.
Almadro also said that his key players have just gone back from vacation as Ateneo’s academic year is yet to start on August.
“Ako, ang alam ko, talaga Ateneo won’t join the Collegiate Conference because ang pasukan namin ay mid-August so most of our players came in from vacation,” said Almadro, who took over almost two months ago from Bundit.
“Actually last week lang (‘yung players) nagdadatingan (but) it’s too late for us for preparation kasi alam naman natin na next week PVL Collegiate Conference na. (It’s) too early for me as a transition coach ‘yung collegiate conference,” he added.
But Almadro, who steered the Ateneo men’s team to three successive UAAP titles, expressed his intention to join the Open Conference.
He believes that fielding his young team in a much competitive environment, where newly crowned Reinforced Conference champion Creamline will see action, will be beneficial for the Lady Eagles.
“I’m hoping that they’ll allow us to join the Open Conference. We are really willing to join the Open Conference,” he said. “No matter mabigat ang kalaban namin, we are willing to join the open conference both men and women’s.”
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
