BATANGAS CITY—Owing to the positive reception from participating teams and fans, organizers of the Shakey’s Super League (SSL) National Invitationals are looking to continue with its three-leg format in future editions.
The league brought elite collegiate volleyball action closer to supporters from the provinces with tournament stops in Mindanao, Visayas and Luzon.
SSL hit its goal of showcasing local talents right in their own turf against visiting Manila-based teams from the UAAP and the NCAA in the short but action-packed competition backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner and R and B Milk Tea.
“The impact is really different. Malaking bagay ‘yung nailalapit natin ‘yung mga laro sa ating mga kababayan sa malalayong lugar,” league organizer Athletic Events and Sports Management Inc. (ACES) president Dr. Ian Laurel said during the tournament’s third and final leg in Batangas on Friday at the Batangas Country Club here.
“We would strongly recommend that this is how we do it each year, from now on,” he added.
Laurel was joined by ACES director Ariel Paredes, Competition Director Ginio Panganiban, Referee Manager Erwin Cordero, Shakey’s Batangas Group Franchise head Pauline Bondad, Batangas Country Club Even Manager Jong Rivera, BCC Executive Chef Andrew Koh and University of Batangas Sports Director Christopher Quizon during the Luzon leg’s launch.
Far Eastern University, NCAA champion College of Saint Benilde, Letran and host UB are duking it out for the Batangas Leg crown at the UB Millennium Gym.
Coinciding with its main sponsor’s 50th anniversary, the National Invitationals veered from its usual Manila staging and went on tour.
Its initial stop was in Davao City, where National University emerged as champion after beating University of the Philippines, Notre Dame of Dadiangas University, and the Davao Selection, which was composed of players from Ateneo de Davao University, Holy Cross of Davao College, and the University of Mindanao.
Adamson University ruled the Cebu Leg with home team University of San Carlos snatching a runner-up finish. Ateneo de Manila University and University of Southern Philippines Foundation also participated in the Visayas front of the tournament, which has Asics, Mikasa, Smart Sports, F2 Logistics, Team Rebel Sports, Belo Deo, SM Tickets and PusoP.com as technical partners.
“Nandoon pa lang tayo sa Davao, four weeks ago for the first leg. We already received requests from different LGUs (local government units) and provinces. We have one from Palawan, we have one from Cagayan De Oro, we have one from the north, from Ilocos,” Laurel shared.
“Then we did Cebu. New ones started to request and already want to talk to us for next year. So, I think the impact, when you base it on the impact that we made this year compared to the past two years, is really more impactful and has more meaning.”
SSL games are available live and on demand via PusoP.com and Solar Sports.
