The team’s the thing

Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Why all the buzz about the Philippine women’s volleyball team to the Southeast Games in Malaysia this August?

It’s simply because the game is enjoying immense popularity.  Social media is alive with tweets and posts about the composition of the team. And yet, as any coach or pundit who has followed the game in the region will tell you, it’s about forming a team and getting it ready to play as one unit.

Appointed coach Francis Vicente sent a strong message to all interested players that no preferential treatment would be given to anyone, even for most likely shoo-in Alyssa Valdez. 

Valdez is going to be spending some time with a club team in Thailand but will make herself available for the tryouts.

Great individual skill is definitely indispensable but if players are not willing to conform to team discipline and a playing system then all that talent will amount to nothing.  It’s like having popular actors in an all-star film without a unifying direction or narrative.

That’s because the competition is already fine-tuning their team play while we’re still forming our squad.  That’s the natural consequence of having an abundant amount of league play. 

In this country, save for a few sports, incubating a team over long stretches of time is hard to realize unless commitment and a fair amount of money is around.

There’s nothing wrong about players keeping their skills sharp in our many leagues. Excellent players around the world spend time with their home clubs but do come together when it’s time to serve the national cause. 

The issue that challenges team unity and performance is the system the coach will instill.  First, the coach will get players who will support a vision to match up against the level of competition. 

In this process, some players will have more playing time.  Some will perform supporting roles like coming off the bench or playing hard in training to keep the starting six sharp.

In a galaxy of stars, it’s a juggling challenge to keep everybody happy while staying true to the team vision.  Trust and faith are vital and it’s critical to get coachable players who will get others to support the cause.

Nothing would please the Pinoy volleyball crowd more than a sterling performance in the SEA Games.  And seeing their favorites play for them must be accomplished with the team’s goals at heart.