Alas Pilipinas sets Japan training

There will be no rest for the national women’s volleyball team as Alas Pilipinas continues to build chemistry and gain experience for future international competitions.

Head coach Jorge Souza de Brito mentioned that the squad is scheduled to fly to Japan for a training camp next week.

“We’re having a training camp in Japan next week,” De Brito said of their training in Asia’s volleyball powerhouse nation from 14 to 25 July.

The Filipina spikers are just coming off a stint in the FIVB Women’s Volleyball Challenger Cup.

Despite a gallant stand in front of a loud home crowd at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Alas came up short against mighty Vietnam, 14-25, 22-25, 21-25, on Friday which knocked the home team out of contention for a slot in next year’s Volleyball Nations League.

Parading the core that won a historic bronze medal in the AVC Challenge Cup a couple of months ago, Alas gave Vietnam a scare behind the leadership of top setter Jia Morado-de Guzman and the explosiveness of veteran Sisi Rondina and young hitter Angel Canino.

But the Vietnamese, who ruled the AVC Challenge Cup, proved too much for Alas.

Hoping to turn things around when they meet Vietnam and other regional giants in Thailand and Indonesia in the coming two Southeast Asian V-League legs next month, De Brito will bring Alas’ current lineup and some additional players in the pool to train in Japan.

“We’re going there with this lineup and we’re gonna add some players to go there, so a total 18 (players),” he said.

De Brito, whose tenure as head coach was extended by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation leadership until the end of December 2025, also wants to take advantage of the team’s calendar to build up for the coming Southeast Asian Games.