New national team coach Ramil de Jesus assured everyone that he won’t be playing favorites when it comes to the fate of the women’s volleyball team.
The multi-titled mentor clarified that though he’s the coach of La Salle in the UAAP, that won’t be a factor when deciding who will make up the team which will compete in major international tournaments this year.
“There’s no guarantee that the La Salle players will be part of the final squad,” said De Jesus, who was officially introduced on Friday.
“I wasn’t a part of the national team in the past years, and a lot of the players they took were from La Salle. So on my part, I wasn’t looking if the player was from La Salle or from another school or another company. If we can use them inside the court and they can follow our system, they will be in.”
NT coach Ramil de Jesus shares his thoughts on the first national women’s volleyball team tryouts. pic.twitter.com/jBu9H7pUgM
— Randolph B. Leongson (@RLeongsonINQ) April 13, 2018
Nine players in the current national team pool came from Taft, and all but one attended the first tryouts on Friday at Arellano Gym in Legarda.
Former Lady Spikers Kim Fajardo, Ara Galang, Cha Cruz, and Melissa Gohing were present for the session, together with current players Dawn Macandili, Kianna Dy, and Majoy Baron.
Aby Maraño attended, but begged off from participating in the drills due to a hand injury.
Of the La Salle players in the pool, only Mika Reyes did not show up for the session with her ballclub Petron scheduled to play on Saturday.
De Jesus, though, still isn’t closing his doors on other players who are interested to lend their services for flag and country.
“We’ll still have another tryout next week for those who weren’t able to attend today,” he said, with the next tryout scheduled on April 18. “We’re giving a chance for the players who weren’t able to attend today. We know it’s not easy because everyone has their own commitments, so hopefully, I see them next week.”