Coach Dante Alinsunurin.–UAAP PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — All is well for the Philippine men’s volleyball program as coach Dante Alinsunurin returns to the coaching staff with Sergio Veloso ahead of the country’s hosting and participation in the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship.
A year after his departure, Alinsunurin was invited to return as one of Veloso’s assistant coaches and accepted the offer to continue his dream of taking Philippine men’s volleyball to greater heights.
“Sobrang thankful kasi kahit anong nangyari before binigyan pa rin ako ng pagkakataon magserve sa men’s national team kaya sobrang saya na nakabalik ulit ako dito sa position,” said Alinsunurin, who was removed from his post last year.
READ: Dante Alinsunurin out as Philippine men’s volleyball team coach
Alinsunurin will be working hand-in-hand with Veloso, who replaced him last year, debuting in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia, and assistant coach Odjie Mamon in overseeing the 25-man pool for the 2025 tournaments including the World Championship from September 12 to 28 next year at Mall of Asia Arena and Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“Siyempre excited ako na mag-host tayo ng ganitong sobrang laking liga. Sobrang thankful ako sa PNVF na dinala dito para mas mas-howcase pa talaga yung men’s team dito sa Pilipinas,” he said. “Yun naman yung lagi naming sinasabi na mabalanse yung volleyball sa Pilipinas na pati yung men’s din makasabay din sa women’s.”
Joshua Retamar, who expressed his frustrations about the lack of support last year, has accepted the federation’s invitation to try out for the men’s volleyball pool.
READ: Alinsunurin stands by Retamar on lack of national team support
The longtime National University coach brought glory to Philippine men’s volleyball when he steered the team to a historic silver medal in the 2019 SEA Games in Manila.
The pandemic halted the rise of the program as the nationals settled for fifth place in the 2022 biennial meet in Hanoi, Vietnam before Alinsunurin was relieved of his duty due to “multiple coaching gigs.”
READ: Dante Alinsunurin hopes to see men’s volleyball continue to rise
Veloso has been the coach since then, sustaining fifth place in last year’s SEA Games and competing in several international tournaments last year.
Alinsunurin and the coaches are eyeing 25 players to be part of the pool and will join the SEA VLeague and Asian Challenger Cup and will face three Japanese club teams in September for the one-year countdown of the World Championship.