Gold standard
Since I started playing, I always look up to the Thais and admire the way they play
The national women’s volleyball team is competing in the first-ever Asean Grand Prix in Thailand.
This tourney is very crucial to our preparation for the 30th Southeast Asian Games.
Aside from giving us the chance to stay together and develop chemistry and cohesiveness, it is also a perfect opportunity for us to get a glimpse of our SEA Games foes like Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.
As we know, our goal is to make it to the SEA Games medal podium so getting a ringside view on the training and preparation of our opponents will definitely give us a major advantage when we march to battle in the biennial meet in November.
Our team opened the tournament with a lost to Indonesia followed by another setback to Thailand, a team that we consider as the gold standard in Southeast Asian volleyball. Now, it is playing Vietnam as I write this column and I am hoping that they can get a win before flying back to Manila. Of course, I am sad over the news of those back-to-back losses. But at the same time, I am quite happy seeing my teammates play their hearts out. I can see the fire in their eyes as well as the eagerness and determination to get better. I know these losses will make us tougher. It will make us hungry and more determined to prove that we can win a SEA Games medal for the first time since 2005.
Even if it’s just three games, I’m still proud of the team because it is now making progress and able to stand toe to toe with the best teams in the region.
I’m also proud of my teammates because even if they are far from their respective families, they still managed to keep their focus and finish the Thailand training and tournament on a high note.
I remember that around this time last year, just few days after competing in the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, we were also in Korat, Thailand to see action in an AVC (Asian Volleyball Confederation) tournament.
That experience is truly worth remembering since we managed to earn our first win over Kazakhstan and had some what-could-havebeen moments, including a pair of five-set losses to Australia and Iran.
We won only one game, but the feeling was great.
And what made the feeling extra special was the fact that we could see the development and improvement of the team. The chemistry was slowly getting there and the relationship among members of the team had become extra tight.
That’s what we want to develop in this Asean Grand Prix.
Too bad, I wasn’t able to join to throw my full support. Although, the LVPI (Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas, Inc.) wanted me to fly to Thailand to cheer the team, I politely begged off because I really wanted to focus on my therapy and strengthening of my injured knee.
But if only if my health permits, I would definitely go there. As I’ve said, Thailand is the gold standard of Southeast Asian volleyball.
The Thais are not as tall as China or as quick as Japan, but they became a world-class team through strategy, hard work and faith in their system. Although we used to win over them before, they bounced back and improved their program that paved the way for their SEA Games domination and appearance in high-level tournaments.
Since I started playing, I always look up to the Thais and admire the way they play.
As I’ve said, Thailand is the gold standard of Southeast Asian volleyball.
It’s the main reason why I’m very excited to see action in the SEA Games.
I know that the experience we would gain there would be very crucial to the progress of the team and Philippine volleyball in general.
All we need to do is to work hard, trust the system and be patient — just like what the Thais did.