By Jean Malanum/PNA
MANILA — Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas, Inc. (LVPI) president Peter Cayco has expressed his optimism on the medal chances of the men’s and women’s teams in the 30th Southeast Asian Games (SEAG), which the country will host from November 30 to December 11 this year.
“We’re confident that it will be a podium finish for the men’s and women’s teams, but we don’t know what’s the color of the medal,” Cayco said during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the Tapa King Restaurant at Farmers Plaza in Cubao, Quezon City on Tuesday.
Cayco said his optimism was based on the number of players who joined the tryouts, which were conducted by national coaches Shaq delos Santos (women’s) and Dante Alinsunurin (men’s).
He said the coaching staff will submit the names of the 20 players who will form their respective national pools this week.
“The LVPI is happy with the huge turnout for the tryouts,” Cayco said in the weekly forum supported by Miguel Corp., Tapa King, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor).
“All the players we were expecting attended the two-day tryouts for the women’s team. As for the men’s team tryouts, we were surprised because 85 players showed up,” he added.
Rod Roque, who is the director in charge of the national men’s team, supervised the men’s tryouts held over the weekend at the University of the East.
Aside from indoor volleyball, the Philippines will also field teams in the beach volleyball event. As host country, the Philippines is allowed to field two teams in the men’s and women’s divisions.
Cayco said the LVPI is still in the process of selecting the members of the beach volleyball team coaching staff and the tryouts for the team will follow.
A total of four gold medals are at stake in volleyball — two in indoor (men and women) and two in beach (men and women).
Cayco said that once the national teams in both indoor and beach events have been finalized, these teams will be given foreign exposures in preparation for the SEAG.
Meanwhile, Cayco revealed that the official venue for the indoor volleyball event will be decided this week. Possible venues are the Smart-Araneta Center, Philsports Arena in Pasig City and the Alonte Sports Center in Laguna.
The beach volleyball competition will be held at the SBMA Tennis Center in Olongapo City.
