Brazilian coach Jorge Edson Souza de Brito arrived late Wednesday night at NAIA Terminal 1 onboard Asiana Airlines. The Brazilian coach is here in the country to join the national women’s team training bubble for the 21st Asian Senior Women’s Volleyball Championship. PNVF Photos
MANILA, Philippines–The national women’s volleyball team’s transformation finally gets to start. Its disruptor has arrived from Brazil.
Jorge Edson Souza de Brito planed in late Wednesday to start his two-year tenure — under the FIVB’s program to help under-performing national squads — and reconstruct Team Philippines from mere glamour team to a truly champion team.
But due to health protocols, De Brito will have to complete his quarantine until July 31 before he could join the national team which recently encamped in a training bubble in Ilocos Norte.
“I can’t wait to start,” De Brito, Olympic champion player and coach, told the Inquirer several days before he departed Brazil.
“To do good, to make change, I need to understand. I want to know the people, the culture. I need to study them and ask them why do they play volleyball,” he said. “I will try to see it (my job as coach) as a player.”
He is set to work with interim head coach Odjie Mamon, former University of Santo Tomas mentor. He will join the team in its training camp in Batangas starting Friday.
And their first assignment is to make sure Team Philippines finishes a decent finish in the 21st Asian Senior Women’s Championships which the country is hosting starting Aug. 29.
The Philippines was drawn in Pool A with tough nations like Kazakhstan, Chinese Taipei and Uzbekistan.
Philippine National Volleyball Federation president Ramon “Tats” Suzara said the country’s performance in the Asians should provide glimpse of the national team’s future.
“We have put in young players who will work with several veterans. And now we our Brazilian coach is here so we expect change for the better,” said Suzara.