Just play

Blame volleyball’s popularity, social media and the craving for a competitive national squad for what is being said about the recent line-up announcement of a possible team for the 2018 Jakarta Palembang Asian Games in August and September.

Some players, obviously fan favorites, were not included and the disappointment was expected. The announced roster has skipper Aby Maraño, Alyssa Valdez, Jaja Santiago, Dindin Santiago-Manabat, Ces Molina, Mika Reyes, Kim Fajardo, Jia Morado, Kim Dy, Cha Cruz-Behag, Majoy Baron and Dawn Macandili.

Disagreements with national team choices are really nothing new. Announcing basketball lineups of the past and present has usually been a trigger for debate. In a pre-social media era, fans who didn’t like the coaches’ choices would write letters to the newspaper editors, voice objections on radio or express their disagreement wherever there was a crowd willing to listen.

The criticism back then could be easily managed or even ignored since concerns could not go completely widespread or viral unlike what they do now in the digital century.

Let’s get real about three points on this issue.

First, fans can express what they feel as long as the posts or tweets are respectful. Using foul language is really out of place in the public domain. Disappointment over player choices can be expressed but should be within the limits of good online behavior.

Second, the coaching staff, led by Shaq De Los Santos, obviously has a system in mind that emphasizes height and experience. What that system will be remains to be seen and developed. This national team will not have the luxury of time or preparation for that system and at best, the current efforts will be investments for the future.

Lastly, the opposition this team will face will be formidable regardless of what bracket they end up in. Just as in basketball, we have to keep playing against the best in order to be more competitive. Philippine volleyball is popular today but it needs to measure itself against the region for the sport to reach new levels of play.

There are those who say that sending a team right now is like walking into a den of lions or tigers. But how can we learn to fight back or improve in the volleyball jungle if we don’t play the tough games?