PSC cold on women’s volley inclusion to Asiad

By Nick Giongco

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is cold on the idea of including the celebrated women’s volleyball team to the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.

National training director Mark Velasco said yesterday that Asian Games chief of mission Richard Gomez, a former national volleyball player, wants to field a women’s squad to the Aug. 18-Sept. 2 quadrennial sportsfest.

“But does it have a chance of winning a medal?” said Velasco yesterday, noting that the PSC is focused on performance and not popularity.

The team didn’t even make the podium in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur.

The women’s team is made up of stars from the Philippine Volleyball League and the Superliga and is undergoing regular practices in its quest to make the Asian Games delegation.

The last time a women’s team took part in the Asian Games was in 1982 in New Delhi.

Velasco said the PSC has earmarked a budget for the country’s participation in the Asian Games and the agency is keenly awaiting for Gomez to provide update about the preparations being undertaken.

Last year, the team spent weeks in Korea and Japan to hone their skills.

Being eyed to lead the team is former UAAP MVP and Ateneo star Alyssa Valdez.

Aside from Valdez, also being considered are former skipper Mika Reyes, Jaja Santiago, Dawn Macandili, Aby Maraño, Kim Fajardo, Kim Dy, Rhea Dimaculangan, Ces Molina, Denden Lazaro and Maika Ortiz.