WHEN members of the newly christened Alas Pilipinas women's pool for the AVC Challenge Cup was announced on Wednesday, the lack of representation from PVL powerhouse team Creamline was too obvious to miss.
From a star-laden Creamline team that has won eight PVL championships including the just-concluded All-Filipino Conference, only Japan-based Jia Morade de Guzman was named to the 16-woman pool announced by the PNVF.
READ Creamline players invited to be part of PH pool but declined, says de Brito
National coach Jorge Souza de Brito later confirmed to SPIN.ph that Creamline players were very much a part of the team's plans and, in fact, invitations were sent to three of their stars, including de Guzman.
From the three, only de Guzman accepted the invitation, the Brazilian coach added.
SPIN.ph sources bared that aside from de Guzman, big hitters Tots Carlos and Jema Galanza were also extended invitations by the national team. Curiously, longtime Creamline star Alyssa Valdez didn't get one, a source added.
So why did the players' decline?
Contacted for comment, Sports Vision president Ricky Palou explained that a trip to Spain had long been planned for the Cool Smashers by team management as part of their bonus for winning two PVL championships last year.
The trip, Palou added, was booked a long time ago and would push through even if Creamline lost to Choco Mucho in the last All-Filipino Conference finals.
"That's the reason [Creamline] had to beg off," Palou said. "It's not because they didn't want to be part of the national team."
Unfortunately, the trip coincided with the AVC Challenge Cup. The Cool Smashers are scheduled to leave on Friday and come back before the end of the month.
Palou assured Creamline players will be available to the national team when they get back.
"But that doesn't mean they're begging off from the national team altogether. When they come back from this trip, they'll be available for the training pool."
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.
