The two conferences organized by the Shakey’s Super League will mark a new undertaking for organizers who used to dabble into club-level competitions.
SSL president and CEO Ian Laurel said this after they did a makeover of their programs and series of tournaments, which were once held by the Philippine Super Liga.
“PSL was a totally complete and different league from SSL. This is new. PSL was at the club level,” said Laurel.
The SSL will have yearlong activities and two conferences, once its pre-season collegiate tournament kicks off the SSL’s first conference this September.
Laurel said the league will have a program that’s designed to promote the development of amateur volleyball at the grassroots level, across 18 regions in the country.
“This is different because we have players playing for their schools,” added Laurel.
Reigning UAAP season 84 titleholder National University and runner-up La Salle are set to join with NCAA Season 97 finalists College of St. Benilde and Arellano University.
Organizers said there will be no conflict at the start of the first conference, since they will run their event right before the opening of UAAP Season 85 and NCAA Season 98.
Their pre-season offering will highlight the return of Shakey’s support in organizing volleyball meets, as a fitting follow-up to the V-League, which ran for 13 seasons, from 2004 to 2017.
Laurel said the pandemic halted the staging of PSL events back in 2020.