FILE – Kalei Mau. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Filipino-American heavy hitter Kalei Mau already has a Filipino passport which she needs to be eligible to play for the national women’s volleyball team, but turns out that she will be needing more than that.
The 6-foot-1 Mau, currently with F2 Logistics, has declared her intention to don the national colors since helping represent the country in the Southeast Asian Grand Prix (SEA GP) two years ago.
In a tweet recently, Mau said she won’t be able to make the national tryout because she’s booked to play as an import in Puerto Rico for the next two and half months.
Still from the US
“But my dream to play for the Philippine flag has and will not change,” she tweeted.
It may not be that easy if you ask the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF), the newly-formed body overseeing the composition of the national squad.
“Easy for Kalei to say she wants to try out for [the national team], but she’s got a problem with her country of origin,” said PNVF president Ramon “Tats” Suzara.
Suzara said that until now, Mau’s country of origin is still the United States.
“We have to change it to Philippines, but it has to be approved by the FIVB (International Volleyball Federation) first,” Suzara added.
A national before
Mau has been mentioned as one of the four veterans who will be given consideration despite missing the tryouts. Among them are Rhea Dimaculangan, Alohi Robins and Dindin Manabat.
The open-hitter was instrumental in securing the bronze medal for the Philippines in the SEA GP in Thailand in 2019.
The PNVF, though, hasn’t issued any statement whether it will give exemptions to the absent players like big stars Alyssa Valdez, Maddie Madayag and Kim Fajardo who also skipped the tryouts.
There were a total of 40 players who were given invitations to participate in the tryouts, with a lot of them not showing up for health concerns. INQ