MANILA, Philippines — After PLDT and Cignal’s transfer to the Premier Volleyball League, a new team in Peak Form is also set to introduce itself in the PVL scene this year.
Peak Form will be bannered by skipper Mela Tunay who is joined by other former University of Santo Tomas standouts in Dimdim Pacres and Chloe Cortez.
Also making up the squad are Judith Abil, Coleen Bravo, Jessma Ramos, Angeli Araneta, Bia General and Angelica Legacion.
“When they realized that there’s an opportunity to make a splash in the volleyball scene. They talked to me and I said, I guess the biggest concern before anyone gets yes is the financial capacity of a team,” said team owner Dr. Gar Eufemio.
“They kind of reassured that they’ll be the ones handling that. I’m gonna trust them on this that things will be okay. Obviously, they know the volleyball scene a lot better than me and I’m just here to learn and contribute.”
Edgar Barroga, the former Cignal head coach, will man the helm for Peak Form, which hopes to make a good first impression.
“Everyone always tries to think that it’s better to have tempered expectations. I kind of never believe that. For me every time you go into something there’s nothing wrong with dreaming,” Eufemio said. “Obviously, you’re expecting to win maybe not right away but maybe soon you expect to win. “
Tunay doesn’t want the pressure to get the better of the team, knowing there will be a lot of challenges along the way.
“We just don’t want to be overwhelmed with the pressure of us being a new team. But I did talk to my teammates that we really have to do our best because this team it’s new they invested their trust in us, not just gave us jobs, but they trusted us,” she said.
“We have to give them quality performances. We may not win right away but they have to see something good in our efforts and our camaraderie because every team did not start by winning a championship right away.”
The PVL has circled April 10 as the target date for its maiden conference as a professional league at Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna.