MAJOR HEARTBREAK
This is a major challenge for us
The national women’s volleyball team suffered another major heartbreak after Filipino-American spiker Kalei Mau was ruled out of the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games that the country will host next month.
Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas, Inc. (LVPI) president Joey Romasanta yesterday said Mau had been dropped from the SEA Games lineup after failing to meet the required minimum years of residency.
A standout for University of Arizona in the Division I of the United States National Collegiate Athletic Association, Mau arrived in the country late last year to play for Cocolife and United Volleyball Club in the Philippine Superliga (PSL).
But she failed to transfer her affiliation from the United States Volleyball Association (USVA) to the local federation — the LVPI — despite campaigning here for the past couple of months.
Based on the transfer rules of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) and the Asian Volleyball Confederation, a player who wishes to represent her country in an international competition such as the SEA Games, Asian Games and the Olympics must be under her mother federation for at least two years, something that the hard-hitting spiker failed to meet.
The development is a major blow to the national squad that is looking to finally end its 14-year medal drought in the most prestigious athletic conclave in the region.
Prior to Mau, the Nationals also lost towering sisters Jaja Santiago and Dindin Manabat as well as Filipino-American playmaker Alohi Robins-Hardy.
Santiago and Manabat failed to clinch their release from their respective clubs in the V.Premier League of Japan while Robins-Hardy failed to secure her Philippine passport on time.
The leadership of LVPI was devastated by the news, especially since Mau was largely credited for the national squad’s improved performance in the ASEAN Grand Prix in Nakhon Ratchasima in Thailand and Sta. Rosa, Laguna last month.
Now, the team is competing in the PSL Super Cup and Mau is seeing very limited action reportedly due to a minor injury.
Romasanta said it is better to sit Mau out of the SEA Games rather than have her suspended by the word body for volleyball.
“We don’t want to jeopardize whatever problem she may encounter along the way. She could get suspended if she plays without securing transfer papers from the federation,” said Romasanta, who is also the vice president of the Philippine Olympic Committee.
“I don’t know why she failed to submit the papers, but it really has to be her submitting it because she is a member. It’s not the LVPI.”
A source said LVPI is looking at Aiza Maizo-Pontillas as a possible replacement.
“Aiza perfectly fits the bill,” said the source, an insider in local volleyball community.
“She was with the team in the Singapore SEA Games and made it to the roster in the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games and the Jakarta Asian Games. So if we’re looking for experience and fighting heart, Aiza can definitely supply it.”
Maizo-Pontillas will join the solid core of national squad bannered by skipper Aby Maraño, Mika Reyes, Mylene Paat, Dawn Macandili, Majoy Baron, Rhea Dimaculangan and Kath Arado.
Still, Romasanta said losing Mau is a huge major sacrifice, but they have to do it for the sake of her playing career.
“We don’t want her future to crumble,” he said. “She’s only 24 and I know she has still so many things to fulfill and I understand that playing for the country is one of those.”
“But we have to follow the rules of FIVB and US Volleyball.”
National team head coach Shaq de los Santos said losing Mau is a major challenge.
After all, she was part of the squad that trained for 12 days in Japan and her leadership, firepower and experience in big-time competitions would be definitely missed.
“This is a major challenge for us,” De los Santos said.
“She was with us right from the start and her absence will create a big hole in our rotation. I guess the only thing that we can do at this point is to accept this development, move on and be ready to play without her. We know it isn’t easy. But nothing would happen if we keep on dwelling on her absence.”