Despite the pandemic that has curtailed its field practice training, the Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines has already formed both its Blu Girls and Blu Boys’ squads for the coming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
Blu Girls’ head coach Randy Dizer confirmed that his team, composed of 24 local players, who survived the tryouts last November, includes 12 carryovers and 12 newcomers, including two who are also members of the U-19 team.
“But the lineup is not final yet, we plan to hold tryouts for Fil-Ams in San Francisco and Los Angeles to see if we can get very good prospects. They need to be doubly better than our locals because I believe our players are equal to them in skills levels. Our only problem would be the facilities available and the international exposure for them,” said Dizer.
He also said that due to the teams’ absence in both the senior and U-19 international competitions, the Blu Girls’ ranking has gone down from 11th prior to the pandemic to 13th.
“If not for COVID-19 that really affected our training and trips abroad, I think our Blu Girls would have been already in the Top 10 in the world. With the help of the Philippine Sports Commission, the team continues to train but all online, conditioning, psychological, and nutrition, but field practice is the most important aspect and the plan was to start this by February 1 this year,” said Dizer.
Since both softball and baseball are out in the coming SEA Games in Vietnam, the team is eyeing the Asiad to recover lost points.
“Right now, we are ranked in the Top 4 in Asia behind Japan, China, and Chinese Taipei, and hopefully we can do the same thing before—train in Canada and the United States, then go directly to China for the Asian Games,” Dizer concluded.
The Blu Boys, now under head coach Apol Rosales, has been formed and just looking for common quarters in Manila to start training.
ASAPHIL President Jean Henri Lhuillier continues to support both the Blu Girls and the Blu Boys, even renting a gym in Quezon City for his athletes’ use.