AT least eight new faces have begun training with Alas Pilipinas for this year’s cycle of international competitions.
For co-captain Dawn Macandili-Catindig, there’s one national team debutant who already stood out for her high-octane game at the tender age of 20.
READ LIST: Who'll be with Alas Women? Lineup getting better by the day
And it’s no other than Shaina Nitura, the UAAP Season 87 Rookie of the Year.
The Adamson captain-slash-serial record breaker was quick to make an impression just weeks since training with the rest of the nationals.
“Grabe, nagulat ako kay Shaina [Nitura] nu’ng first time namin siyang makasama sa training. Sabi ko, ang lakas ng palo niya tapos ang taas tumalon,” Catindig said.
“Buti na lang hindi ko na ‘to naabutan sa UAAP kundi mahihirapan talaga ako.”
Nitura returned the favor to Catindig and the rest of her Alas ‘ates’ who have been nothing short of brilliant and helpful to her own growth in the latest chapter of her young volleyball career.
“Lahat talaga sila [ang gagaling], as in. No words to explain kung gaano sila lahat kagagaling. Lahat talaga sila nagsstandout sa’kin. Kada player, may matututunan ka,” Nitura said.
“Sila ‘yung mga naka-experience na ng international leagues at competitions so ang dami ko talagang natututunan kahit hindi pa kami nagli-liga.”
Breathing new life to Alas
Last year when Alas won a hat-trick of bronze medals in Asian play, national team veterans like Catindig and Jia de Guzman made one resounding call: continuity.
It won’t exactly be the case this year as there will be players from the 2024 squad that are set to forego this year’s national team cycle — hence, the decision to field in new faces like Nitura to bolster the squad.
But there’s a silver lining in such changes for Catindig.
The desire from the younger generation of players to commit and play for flag and country is the most encouraging sign of continuity there could be for a stronger national team program in the long term.
“‘Yung continuity from last year is ‘yung eagerness ng mga players ngayon to join the national team and 'yung support pa rin na nakukuha namin sa sponsors namin and sa mga club teams na ina-allow nila yung mga players nila na mag-join sa national team,” Catindig said.”
“Although ‘yun nga, may kanya-kanya kaming responsibilities sa club teams namin and sa schools pero in-allow pa rin kami na panindigan ’yung duty namin na pinatawag kami sa national team.
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.
