MANILA, Philippines - Sta. Lucia Land Inc. has thrown its full support to volleyball, fielding in a team in the ongoing Philippine Super Liga Invitational Conference.
The top property developer, which had won championships in the PBA, is carrying the Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors banner in the PSL with the top players from College of St. Benilde and University of Perpetual Help making up the squad.
“We are supporting Filipino volleyball talents and we want to be part of the development of volleyball in the country,” said Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors team manager Michelle de Castro at the PSL opening at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan recently.
De Castro added that Sta. Lucia Land Inc. also joined the PSL to help promote the sport.
“With its growing popularity, the creation of a professional volleyball league is just around the corner and we’d like to be there when it happens,” said De Castro.
Other members of the team are Jannine Navarro, Cindy Imbo, Rachel Anne Austero, Maria Lourdes Clemente, Djanel Welch Cheng, Melanie Torres, Shyra Mae Umandal, Necelle Mae Gual, Rica Jane Enclona, Rialen Sante, Danna Henson, Jonah Sabete, and Ranya Musa. They will be under CSB volleyball team coach Michael Carino.
Carino and Cheng, the team captain, described the Lady Realtors as a very young team. Carino said he is giving the players balanced training to meet the higher expectations for the team.
“In the Invitational, our big challenge is to achieve a 50 percent improvement in performance so that come All-Filipino conference, the most important conference in PSL, we have already improved a lot,” said Carino. “Hopefully, by the end of 2017, we (will) win the championship.”
Cheng, who plays a key role in the team as setter, has expressed optimism that they can deliver what the Sta. Lucia management is expecting them to do. “We will try to be in the final four every conference,” she said.