PVL president Ricky Palou shed light on the league’s forthcoming joint venture with the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF), which includes plans to hold an invitational tryout for Alas Pilipinas Women.
With former head coach Jorge Souza de Brito no longer in the picture, Palou emphasized that the collaboration does not signal a sweeping reset of the national team pool.
Instead, the initiative is designed to complement the existing core rather than being a major shakeup outright.
READ: PNVF, PVL to stage invitational tryout for Alas Pilipinas spots
While the tryout will be open to players from both the pros and collegiate ranks, Palou was quick to clarify that participation will be by invitation only.
“The tryouts for the national team are not open tryouts. There will be tryouts but they [PNVF] will invite players to try out for the national team. It’s not going to be open to everybody,” Palou said.
“The coaching staff will choose which 20 or 30 players will try out for the national team. It’s not really open to everyone.”
Details surrounding the format, timeline and the composition of the new coaching staff that will oversee the process are still being finalized.
Always for the best
Rather than viewing the expanded pool as a potential disruption, the move has largely been welcomed as a step toward strengthening and future-proofing the Alas Women program.
Team captain Jia de Guzman may not yet know how the plan will unfold, but she made it clear that any effort aimed at improving the program will have her support.
“Of course, Alas is the national team of the Philippines so we want to have the best of the best at pasok sa sistema ng magiging coach,” de Guzman said.
“The tryouts are also welcome but we do not have all the details yet. Right now kasi, we’re about to start the PVL club season so all of the focus is here. If there are more details in the future, we’ll hear it from the PNVF."
From the league’s side, PVL control committee chairman Sherwin Malonzo echoed that sentiment, expressing hope that players given the opportunity will take full advantage of it.
“It’s a welcoming opportunity for our PVL athletes and it’s also extended to other leagues like the UAAP and NCAA,” Malonzo said.
“It’s a way of beefing up the Alas team for the coming years. I hope our players will still take that opportunity and try out.”
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