IT has been the common belief that imports raise the level of play and help develop the caliber of Philippine volleyball players.
Ettore Guidetti, however, insisted exposure of local players is just as important.
NXLED’s 50-year-old Italian shot-caller is a firm believer that Philippine volleyball must focus on growing its homegrown talents instead of tapping more imports to bring excitement to the local leagues.
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"If we want to develop the local players, they have to play," Guidetti said after the Chameleons started their campaign in the PVL All-Filipino Conference with a 25-15, 25-17, 22-25, 25-22 loss to PLDT at the PhilSports Arena.
Carrying decades of experience coaching talent such as award-winning Swedish spiker Isabelle Haak, Guidetti said there's no doubt that foreign players play a crucial role as the Philippines strive to develop the level of volleyball.
In its seven-year run, the PVL has staged five import-laden conferences and even held one tournament featuring two reinforcements per team prior to the league turning pro in 2021, helping raise the level of competition.
However, he hopes the chance to give local players the opportunity to develop and shine will not be taken for granted for the sake of volleyball's longterm growth.
That makes the current conference all the more important, he said.
"Even if we are not expressing the best volleyball in the world, but right now, it's super important to have an All-Filipino Conference," the NXLED coach said.
“Compared to the last conference, I think that this start of the new conference is with a higher level. I see a lot of teams that really reinforce the team, besides the fact of not having a foreigner,” he continued.
“The teams, they look better, so it's rising year by year, season by season. This is something very good. Obviously, if we start using different rules, the level will develop immediately," the Italian coach added.
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