Time for more talent to shine

IN A move clearly intended for the long run, the Ateneo Lady Eagles opted to let superstar Alyssa Valdez sit out in their first game against the University of Santo Tomas in the Collegiate Conference of the Shakey’s V-League.

Valdez had been going full throttle since the last UAAP championship, the Under-23 tournament, the PLDT title run in the first V-League conference and the Southeast Asian Games. That’s not just a plateful of volleyball but more of a buffet of high-octane tournaments where Valdez often carried the bulk of the offensive burden.

She has done more for flag and country and deserves some healing time for the aches and pains of not just playing but training for competition as well.

National team member Gretchel Soltones of San Sebastian was also not used at full strength in San Sebastian’s loss against College of Saint Benilde on opening day.  Soltones has a shoulder pain, an area where most volleyball players feel the wear and tear of going full swing when attacking.  Soltones was used only as an alternate libero and at a stretch where the Lady Stags could not recover anymore from a heartbreaking second set loss and played sluggishly in the third and final set.

There is a degree of understanding we must extend our players regardless of sport when they play for our national teams and then return to school or commercial play.  As fans, we want to see them in action when we switch on our TV sets or when we drop by the sports arenas.

However, this is the sacrifice all of us must share as we strive to make our national teams competitive and worthy representatives.  We must allow some healing time for the star players because we would have done them a great disservice if we ask them to play at full strength all the time.

Don’t worry.  They will be back.  The thrill and call of competition are often too hard to resist and the stars themselves will ask that they play.

In the meantime, the break of the stars allows teams to breed new bright lights.  Ateneo’s Jhoanna Maraguinot uncorked 23 points to more than fill in for Valdez’ missing offense in the Lady Eagles’ four-set win over UST.  Maraguinot is a star in the making whose spiking approach and swing offer hope for Ateneo fans that she will be ready once Valdez ends her college eligibility after this season.

UST has EJ Laure, a phenom from the España school’s excellent high school program, who is another talent worth watching.  Also a member of the Under-23 team, Laure needs only a reliable setter and sharper court smarts to really go far.

A team that could shake up the V-League is the CSB Lady Blazers.  Well-coached by Michael Cariño, the team has height and power and a versatile setter in Djanel Cheng.  It’s important for the Lady Blazers to believe that they can match up with the other teams, especially the fancied ones of the UAAP, if they want to go deep in the tournament.

Life simply moves on in athletic circles where the veterans earn some down time and a new wave of stars begin to emerge.  If a sport has so much talent in its forefront and waiting in the wings, then the game will continue to sparkle and improve.