Valdez makes SEA Games-bound team

By Jesse C. Ong 

It’s all’s well that ends well for local volleyball ace Alyssa Valdez and national coach Francis Vicente. 

After a series of events that threatened to strain the relationship between the former Universities Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Most Valuable Player and her high school coach, Valdez reached out to Larong Volleyball Sa Pilipinas Inc. (LVPI) acting president Peter Cayco to assure her commitment if selected for the national team competing in the coming Kuala Lumpur Southeast Asian Games (Seag).

It can be recalled that the volleyball superstar earned the ire of certain quarters, especially Vicente, after failing to show up in the recent “Clash of Heroes” exhibition match, which put a big question on her inclusion in the squad that will carry the national colors in the biennial meet.

In a report published by online sports website spin.ph, Vicente said the Philippine women’s volleyball coaching staff deliberated on the composition of the Seag team and gave Valdez the nod ahead of the formal announcement of the 18-woman lineup.

The national coach bared that most of the members of his coaching staff, including Brian Esquibel, Nene Ybañez-Chavez, Kungfu Reyes, Ronald Dulay, Manny Calipes and Benson Bocboc, voted for Valdez’s inclusion in the team. He reiterated that the selection of the entire 18-woman squad was a collective decision among the coaches.

Valdez, along with several others, didn’t attend Friday’s press conference announcing the members of the team. But Vicente said Valdez and company were excused from attending the proceedings.

“She texted me and Mr. Cayco that she won’t be able to come kasi may training siya sa Creamline,” said Vicente.

Also excused were team captain Mika Reyes, who had a team building session with Petron in Laguna, and Rachel Anne Daquis and Jovelyn Gonzaga, who is in Japan to observe the ongoing World Club League.