PVL buys into Capital1’s vision of building competitive team

PVL chairman Tonyboy Liao. –PVL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Premier Volleyball League (PVL) officials believe that Capital1 Solar Energy was the “right choice” to become the newest and 12th team for the 2024 season.

The Power Spikers were chosen among the four applicants to join the professional volleyball league and fill in the void left by F2 Logistics, which was disbanded last December after eight years in the sport.

The reason? PVL president Ricky Palou saw the long-term goal of owners Milka and Mandy Romero to form a competitive team under veteran coach Roger Gorayeb.

“We interviewed about four entities. We interviewed all of them and we looked at what their vision was, what their purpose was gonna be. We felt that Capital1 are the ones who are really there to stay for the long term and eventually build up their team to be competitive,” said Palou, who welcomed the newest PVL team in a press conference on Thursday at Milky Way Cafe Makati.

“It’s not gonna be easy to build up a competitive team in so short a time. But I know Roger and I know how he pushes his players to improve all the time. I’m pretty confident that in a year or two, they’ll be one of the top teams in the PVL,” he added.

PVL chairman Tonyboy Liao, who was in the United when the league granted the 12th spot to Capital1, said he had agreed with the decision knowing the father of co-owners, sportsman and Rep. Mikee Romero.

Romeo put up a successful team in the Philippine Basketball League (PBL) before taking his act to the PBA with the Northport Batang Pier. He also backed the De La Salle Lady Spikers in the UAAP in the 2000s.

“They made the right choice because knowing Mikee Romero, who was a former manager of De La Salle women’s teams and basketball teams in the PBA, it really surprised me that a basketball person is now going to volleyball which will be very good for us because it’s a very good support for PVL since Congressman [Romero] is a sportsman,” Liao said.

“This morning, I met the two daughters (Milka and Mandy) who are also sports-minded so really no doubt that Ricky Palou chose the right entity as the 12th team. So congratulations to Capital1.”

It’s going to be a reunion with Palou with Milka, who was a football player for Ateneo women’s football during his time as an athletic director for the school, as well as with former Lady Eagles coach Gorayeb when the former was still running the sports program and Liao was the volleyball team manager.

“I’m sure they will add a lot of excitement to the league. We’re very happy and we really welcome them,” Palou said. “This is actually like a small reunion for us because Milka [Romero] was my player when I was the athletic director of Ateneo, Coach Roger [Gorayeb] was my volleyball coach when I was in Ateneo, and TonyBoy [Liao] was handling the volleyball program.”

Capital1 may be the newest squad but the league believes it will be competitive under Gorayeb, who won several championships in the NCAA and club leagues.

“Hopefully under Coach Roger, who is a very experienced coach, I think they will be giving the other teams a run for their money,” Liao said.