Jaja Santiago during the tryouts for women’s volleyball team in Subic. PNVF PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Ramon “Tats” Suzara stressed that those absent from the national team tryouts in Subic will not be given another chance to join the squad.
The president of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation said that they’ve already done everything on their part in regards to make sure that the players will show up for the one-day tryouts.
“We have given them the chance, we told them all the information needed, but the tryouts are over,” said Suzara Thursday. “Now they’re just starting to comment on what happened? We have to go through the process: no tryout, no national team.”
“They’re not going to be included, definitely.”
The PNVF invited 40 female players for the women’s national team tryouts but only 16 showed up with notable absentees including Alyssa Valdez, Kim Fajardo, Jia Morado, Dawn Macandili, Kianna Dy, and Denden Lazaro.
“I want to be transparent, those who tried out will be given priority. There’s no special treatment here because these tryouts are a normal procedure in other sports.”
Suzara said that there were those who were absent but gave valid reasons like Rhea Dimaculangan, MJ Phillips, Kalei Mau, and Aloha Robins-Hardy.
Dimaculangan had a death in her family, according to Suzara, while Phillips is in isolation after a member of the Sta. Lucia coaching staff tested positive for COVID-19.
Mau and Robins-Hardy, meanwhile, are still in Hawaii and could not travel to the Philippines due to travel restrictions.
“They’ve confirmed but there were unforeseen circumstances,” said Suzara. “These are valid reasons, like Kalei and Aloha both of them confirmed but they’re still in Hawaii and could not travel because of travel restrictions.”