Everything to gain Alas’ mantra in FIVB Challenger Cup

MANILA, Philippines — Alas Pilipinas team captain Jia de Guzman said the way to compete and be a medal contender in the Southeast Asian Games is for every Philippine volleyball stakeholder to put in help and align with the national team program.

“Actually, in terms of preparation, we still have a long way to go,” said De Guzman, the star setter of the national squad set to see action in the FIVB Challenger Cup set July 4 to 7 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

De Guzman was responding to a question on how far they have gone in terms of preparation for next year’s Bangkok SEA Games where they hope break into the Top 3 and end the country’s long medal drought since claiming a bronze in the 2005 Manila edition.

“As much as we have more players coming in, in terms of calendar alignment, malaking bagay talaga magtugma at mag cooperate dahil preparation ang strength talaga ng isang team para maka-compete,” said De Guzman.

“Hopefully magkasama sama pa kami at maganda ipakita namin sa SEA Games next year,” she added.

Cooperation among the major players is now being felt. For one, PVL players have been allowed to skip the PVL Reinforced Conference set next month so that they can focus on national team duties.

Despite being formed just a little over a month now, the Nationals have made some strides.

They’re coming from a breakthrough bronze-medal  showing in the AVC Challenge Cup as launch another bid in the FIVB Challenger Cup.

Playing SEA Games rival Vietnam in the first game, De Guzman said they go to the match with a mindset of “having nothing to prove but everything to gain.”

“Well, alam naman po namin na mas malakas kalaban and we know our team is young. All we can ask the girls is to do its best while not putting pressure on the team that much,” she said.

Key additions are Creamline’s Jema Galanza and National U’s Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon.

“It’s great to have new reinforcements in the pool. Experience-wise, marami maiko-contribute nila sa team,” De Guzman said.