PNVF mum on fate of absent stars

Philippine National Volleyball Federation president Tats Suzara hopes the composition of the national teams will be finalized this week to move forward with their preparations for two important tournaments this year.

Sazara said he has tasked coaches Odjie Mamon and Dante Alinsunurin to select and finalize the members of the women’s and men’s squads, respectively, who will represent the country in the Asian Women’s Championships that the country is expected to host in August and the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam in November.

“They will propose the next steps or the process on this,” he said, adding that Mamon, in particular, still has four remaining positions needed to be filled up in his 20-player team.

Suzara refused to comment any further on the issues of several star athletes missing the women’s tryouts last week where only 16 of 40 invited players attended the one-day proceedings at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.

The men’s tryouts, however, drew 31 of 40 invited players, most of them members of the national team that won the historic silver in the 2019 SEAG.

Among the PNVF’s plans after the lineups are finalized will be holding a training camp under a bubble-type setting.

Plans are also underway to have the national women’s team join the Premier Volleyball League competition bubble scheduled either late June or early July in Calamba or Subic, where they could have scrimmages to 12 participating teams.