SEAG-bound spikers shift training to Osaka

The national women’s volleyball team steps up its build-up for two big international meets, including the SEA Games in Malaysia, as it moves its Japan training camp to Osaka starting today.

The Osaka stop is the second leg of the nationals’ 17-day training which started in Okayama City last week with noted Japanese mentor Akiyoshi Kawamoto, two-time Olympian Mai Yamaguchi and the elite Okayama Seagulls whipping the Pinay spikers to fighting condition.

Kawamoto, who once served as head coach of SEA powerhouse Thailand, trained the nationals for three hours in the morning followed by friendly matches in the afternoon.

In particular, Kawamoto sharpened the Filipinos’ blocking and floor defense in preparation for the 19th AVC Asian Senior Women’s Championship in the Phl and the 29th Southeast Asian Games next month.

The Seagulls held off the Filipinas in their final tuneup match, 25-20, 25-23, 25-20.

“Your team is good, you have a lot of very good players, but there are some minor lapses you have to improve. If you can correct that, your team has the possibility to win,” Kawamoto told national team coach Francis Vicente at the end of the camp.

Vicente stressed that they are not looking at the scores, but on the improvement of the team.

“We’re not after victory in these tuneup matches, we’re after the lessons that we will gain,” said Vicente.

“So far, so good. Coach Kawamoto pointed out the common mistakes and bad habits that we tend to commit. He corrected our form in blocking and defensive pattern as well as our approach in attacks. It was very productive,” he said.

The Osaka camp is tipped to be equally grueling as the nationals face younger and more aggressive university teams like Ryokoku University, Osaka University of HSS and reigning PSL Invitational Conference champion Kobe Shinwa University.

A couple of club teams, including the Osaka Superiors, are also scheduled to challenge the Filipina spikers.