IMPROVING the defense and mental preparation will be the main goals when the national women’s volleyball team flies to Japan for a 17-day training camp this Tuesday.
The Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas, Inc. said hopes are high on the Nationals as they shift their training to a higher gear in preparation for the AVC Asian Senior Women’s Championship and the 29th Southeast Asian Games this August.
Based on the team’s official schedule, it will have a six-hour daily training with Japan V. Premier League powerhouse Okayama Seagulls from July 18 to 25 in Okayama City.
Then, the Nationals will move their camp to Osaka to train and play a series of friendlies with Ryokoku University, Osaka Superiors, Kobe Shinwa University and Osaka University of HSS before flying back to Manila on Aug. 2.
LVPI acting president Peter Cayco said they are optimistic that the national team will peak before competing in the Asian Seniors on Aug. 9 and the SEA Games on Aug. 21.
“This is the highlight of our preparation for two major tournaments ahead,” said Cayco during the national team’s send-off yesterday at the Arellano Univeristy School of Law gymnasium, adding that Malacanang already issued an Executive Order that instructs various government agencies to provide support and make sure that the country’s hosting of the Asian Seniors will be a success.
Also present during the press conference were Rebisco vice president for marketing Lulu Dela Pena, Asian Volleyball Confederation executive council member Ramon Suzara, LVPI president Joey Romasanta, LVPI official Danny Ignacio and national team head coach Francis Vicente.
Suzara said the main agenda is to improve the team’s floor defense and blocking, while developing its mental preparation to stand a chance against Asian giants like China, South Korea and Japan.
“The priority of the camp is floor defense, blocking and mental preparation. This is like what they went through in 1993,” said Suzara, also the president of the Philippine Superliga that has 13 of the 14 members of the national team.
“Our target is to make it to the Top 8 in the Asian Seniors.”
Team captain Mika Reyes spearheads the team together with veterans Jovelyn Gonzaga and Aiza Maizo-Pontillas as well as Kim Dy, Dawn Macandili, Kim Fajardo, Aby Marano, Rhea Dimaculangan, Frances Molina, Gen Casugod, Denden Lazaro, Alyssa Valdez, Jaja Santiago and Maika Ortiz.
Assistant coaches Brian Esquibel, Kungfu Reyes, Nene Ybanez-Chavez and Ronald Dulay were also in attendance.