Jaja piques interest of Japan head coach Yamada

Jaja Santiago of Foton Pilipinas goes for the kill over KAZ Alessya Safronova and Inna Metveyeva.

Jaja Santiago once again made head turns, and not just because of her height, in the international volleyball community and this time it was the head coach of the Japanese representatives in the Asian Volleyball Confederation Asian Women’s Club Championship.

Akinori Yamada, the head coach of the NEC Red Rockets, saw potential in Santiago after their match at Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna.

“If she can improve more, maybe I will consider,” said Yamada through a translator. “Maybe she has to practice more.”

Santiago managed just two points in Foton Pilipinas’s match against the Red Rockets in what turned out to be one of the worst losses of the Philippines in the tournament.

It wasn’t the first time the bubbly middle blocker caught the attention of international coaches.

During the Asian U23 tournament, which was held in Pasig, the coaches of Iran and Chinese-Taipei offered Santiago to play for their team.

Yamada added Japan and the Philippines has the potential to work together to improve the sport of volleyball in the Asian continent.

“The Philippines and Japan can work together and we can put Asian volleyball higher.”