By John Bryan Ulanday
IN A BID to boost its chances of ending a 26-year gold medal drought, the Philippine women’s volleyball team flew to Japan on Sunday for a 12-day training camp as part of its final preparations for the 30th Southeast Asian Games.
Led by Fil-Am sensation Kalei Mau together with local aces Majoy Baron and Alyssa Valdez, the nationals left for Japan yesterday and would stay there till Nov. 1 for what they are expecting to be a productive camp, which would include six scrimmages against club and university squads.
Also in the Philippine delegation are captain Aby Marano, Ces Molina, Rhea Dimaculangan, Dawn Macandili, Mylene Paat, Jovelyn Gonzaga, Maddie Madayag, Jia Morado, Mika Reyes and Kath Arado.
Eya Laure, who will be making her national team debut, is set to follow her teammates on Wednesday with assistant coach Kungfu Reyes, owing to her academic duties at the University of Santo Tomas.
Coach Shaq Delos Santos said they were looking forward to the lessons they would get during the Japan camp, which, in turn, they hope to use come the SEA Games, happening in the country from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.
“This camp is a big help for our preparations. We all know the caliber of volleyball teams in Japan so for sure, we will have a great experience there. We will learn a lot,” said the coach, whose team is setting its sights on reclaiming the SEAG volleyball title the country last won in 1993.
The wards of Mr. Delos Santos would train at the Sagamitana High School and Kamimizo High School in Sagamihara, Japan, and they would be up against six different opponents.
The Philippine women’s volleyball team would test its mettle in tune-up games against strong clubs Kashiwa Angel Cross, Yamanashi Chuo Bank, Gunma Bank Green Wings and Hitachi. The Nationals also get to tussle with Nittai University and Aoyama University.
After the camp, Mr. Delos Santos and the national team will return home to plunge into a warm-up tournament called Super Cup organized by the Philippine SuperLiga to help the squad’s SEA Games buildup.
In the Super Cup, slated from Nov. 5 and 7, the nationals will clash against two PSL selection squads Team Shine and Team Sparkle together with a university team from Japan.
