Philippine women’s volleyball team coach Jorge Souza de Brito.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Philippine women’s volleyball team coach Jorge Souza de Brito believes Tots Carlos, Mylene Paat, and MJ Phillips have what it takes to play in the Korean V-League.
De Brito also sees college stars Angel Canino, Bella Belen, and Alyssa Solomon competing overseas someday.
With Carlos, Paat, and Phillips seeking to be drafted in the 2024 Korean Volleyball (KOVO) Women’s Asian Quota Draft, De Brito knows that the three players have a strong chance to make it but it will depend on what the Korean clubs need.
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“They already have proven that they can do it. MJ did the same [last season],” the Brazilian coach told Inquirer Sports.
“I wish them the best of luck. If MJ can play there for the second year, much better for her. I think Tots and Mylene have all the skills but also depends on what the team wants and what the team needs. You saw Jia [De Guzman] made the same last year but she played in Japan,” added the veteran, who was part of the Incheon Korean Air Jumbos coaching staff from 2015 to 2016.
Phillips hopes to return to South Korea after playing her first season with the Gwangju AI Peppers. The three-time PVL MVP Carlos is eyeing her first stint, while Paat tries for the second time after not getting drafted last year.
For De Brito, the reigning UAAP MVP Canino of La Salle and National Univerisity tandem Belen and Solomon have the potential to take their act to international club leagues.
“The youngest one, Canino, [no brainer] she can play. Solomon, she can play anywhere, and Belen, too, can hone her skills.
La Salle [has a lot of young players], they play good but it depends on how they can be exposed in the next step [of their career],” he said.
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“There are much more.”
“Sometimes exposure helps a lot, at the end of the day, The youngest [players] coming abroad that’s a good kind of step in volleyball.”
De Brito hopes more Filipino players see action abroad for the development of Philippine volleyball. Jaja Santiago played her fifth season in the Japan V.League with her new team, JT Marvelous. Jia De Guzman also played in Japan with Denso Airybees, winning the V.Cup title, Ced Domingo earned a championship with Nakhon Ratchasima in Thailand, while Marck Espejo and Bryan Bagunas ruled their respective leagues in Korea and Taiwan.
“Alyssa [Valdez] played already outside [in Thailand and Taiwan]. Domingo, Paat, and Dindin [Santiago-Manabat] played [in Thailand],” he said. “There’s a potential here.”
The outgoing national team coach hopes the players remain committed to their home country amid the opportunity to play abroad.
“But if the guys went to play abroad, they go back to the national team [and play]. That’s hard but some guys keep on doing that from around the world, playing abroad and national team,” De Brito said. “It’s good that Philippine volleyball is having a chance to show up internationally.”