Ramirez to get Japanese training

Reigning National Collegiate Athletic Association Most Valuable Player Louie Ramirez of University of Perpetual Help System Dalta has been invited by Oita Miyoshi Weisse Adler to a three-week training in Japan.

The power-hitting winger will travel to Oita City along with Altas assistant coach Macky Cariño for an all-expense paid training from 16 August to 3 September.

Ramirez is expected to further hone his skills under renowned trainers as well as to experience and absorb the Japanese volleyball culture.

Cariño, on the other hand, will get to learn first-hand how the Japanese training system works as an observer.

"I'm very happy and grateful to Oita Miyoshi for inviting Louie to train with them. There he and coach Macky also will further their knowledge of the sport, develop their skills and learn the scientific approach to volleyball," Altas head coach Sammy Acaylar told Daily Tribune.

The former national team mentor is also crossing his fingers that 6-foot-3 Ramirez will impress the club and would eventually be tapped to join them in the top-tier Japan V. League.

Oita Miyoshi has previously tapped Filipino ace spikers Marck Espejo and Bryan Bagunas as imports.

"Hopefully, he'll get a chance to play for them in the future especially after they signed Espejo and Bagunas to play with them before," Acaylar said.

"The Perpetual community is not the only one proud of Louie. He has also become a sense of pride for the NCAA, that the league has produced a player that took the attention of a Japanese club."

Ramirez, however, will miss the Altas' campaign in the Men's V-League slated to begin later this month, according to Acaylar.