COACH Dante Alinsunurin clarified that there's no ongoing team practice for the National University men's volleyball squad during the quarantine period, but admitted three stranded players were doing individual workouts.
In a vlog posted by back-up setter Benok Ancheta last month, some members of the men's volleyball team and other student-athletes had workouts in the parking area of Jhocson Residences, the designated dormitory for NU.
Alinsunurin clarified that Ancheta, Berhashidin Daymil, and Team B player Ajhay Abdul were stuck in their dorm since March.
Most of the Bulldogs were already back in their respective provinces, but Daymil and Abdul could not book a flight to Tawi-tawi.
Ancheta, who lives in Manila, stayed due to family matters.
"Individual conditioning program namin yung ginawa nila,” Alinsunurin told Spin.ph. “Yung kasama ni (Ancheta) sa video, yung players ko na hindi pa makauwi ng Tawi-tawi dahil wala pang flight.”
"Si Benok, sa Manila lang yun pero ang reason niya is it's more efficient economically para sa family niya,” he added.
Ancheta also said in his vlog that he decided to stay for his stranded teammates.
“Sinamahan ko yung teammates ko na hindi nakauwi nung time na before mag-lockdown,” the playmaker said.
Alinsunurin said that the last time he coached and trained the Bulldogs was still back in March before the remainder of UAAP Season 82 was scrapped due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
The Philippine men’s volleyball team head coach has been busy this pandemic even without volleyball tournaments as a military frontliner for the Air Force.
“Naka-skeletal set-up din naman kami. Monthly ang palitan ng duty. Kapag tapos na ang one month, umuuwi ako sa province para makapag-stay sa family ko,” he said.
NU has been in hot water over the alleged training of the women’s volleyball team during this quarantine after photos and videos of its players working out surfaced online.
NU athletic director Otie Camangian has previously told the Joint Administrative Order on the resumption of sports and physical activities that these athletes were stuck in the dorm since the lockdown was imposed and were unable to head back to their respective hometowns.
The school is set to submit a list of these athletes to the Department of Justice (DOJ), while the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has already handed NU a show-cause order to explain its side.
___
Spin fans unite at the Spin Viber Community! Join the growing community now and complete the experience by subscribing to the Spin Chatbot.
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.
