Philippine beach volleyball teams set up training camp in Batangas

BRALIAN coach Joao Luciano Kiodai (sixth from left) pose with the men’s national team—(from left) James Buytrago, Ranran Abdilla, Jaron Requinton, Jude Garcia, assistant coach Jason Gabales, head coach Rhovyl Verayo, strength and conditioning coach John Paulo Agir, Pol Gringo Salavador and Anthony Lemuel Arbasto Jr.

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine beach volleyball teams will hold a training camp in Batangas starting in January as part of their build-up for the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.

Following a successful stint in the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures with Jovelyn Gonzaga and Sisi Rondina winning gold and Jen Eslapor and Dij Rodriguez settling for silver, the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) seeks to keep their momentum going with 10 of the 18 members national team members holding seven-day training a week in Batangas. 

The rest of the national athletes, who are still students, will be in Laiya on weekends starting in 2023.

There are three teams each in the national men and women squads, which recently welcomed Brazilian coach Joao Luciano Kioday and team manager Mayi Molit-Prochina.  

The third women’s team coached by Jan Paul Doloiras and Romnick Rico is composed of Grydelle Joanice Matibag and Khylem Harl Progella, while the men’s squads coached by Rhovyl Verayo and Jason Gabales also have three teams with Anthony Lemuel Arbasto Jr. and Jude Garcia headlining Team 1, Alnakran Abdilla and Jaron Requinton for Team 2 and James Buytrago and Pol Gringo Salvador for Team 3.

“We gladly and sincerely appreciate this partnership with Club Laiya on the beach volleyball training camp,” said PNVF president Ramon “Tats” Suzara. “The timing is perfect now that we achieved a breakthrough on the global beach volleyball stage.”

Suzara and Club Laiya consultant Patrick “Pato” Gregorio signed the memorandum of agreement over the weekend during the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures.

“We at Club Laiya welcome the national beach volleyball teams,” said Gregorio, Tourism and Hospitality consultant for Millennial Resorts Corporation. “It’s a pleasure for us to have our national beach volleyball athletes hold their training camp in our resort.”

PNVF vice president Dr. Arnel Hajan, secretary-general Donaldo Caringal, Landco Pacific Corp. VP for Sales and Marketing Gerard Peñaflor, Philippine Olympic Committee deputy secretaries-general Carl Sambrano and Karen Tanchanco Caballero and members of the national men and women teams witnessed the ceremony staged on Court 2 of the Subic Bay Sand Court inside the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.