YOU’D know that sports here in the Philippines is taking a step further when even school sports go abroad to train.
Just several years back, only the national teams, or to some extent professional clubs, fly for overseas training camps.
Here comes the news that several teams in the UAAP – farm league for both the professional leagues and Philippine teams – are locked in training with their counterparts abroad.
That’s in preparation for Season 87 volleyball competitions which start Feb. 15 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
University of Santo Tomas sent its men’s and women’s teams to Japan playing against different school squads. It’s a big move for both divisions’ runner-up teams in a hope to finally nail the crown this year.
Defending men’s champions National University and the Ateneo Blue Eagles men’s and women’s teams have also flown overseas for preparation.
Ateneo’s men’s and women’s teams trained alongside Ateneo legends Marck Espejo and Jia De Guzman, who currently play for the Kubota Spears Osaka and Denso Airybees in Japan, respectively.
Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws went to Thailand, where head coach Tina Salak teamed up with her close friend, Thai volleyball star Pleumjit Thinkaow, to craft an optimal training regimen.
The Tamaraws, who recently won the V-League and Spikers’ Turf titles, also set up camp at the Inspire Sports Academy in Laguna.
The Adamson Lady Falcons are currently in Taiwan, while other UAAP squads have already completed their overseas training stints earlier in the off-season.
Reigning women’s champions, the NU Lady Bulldogs, had one of the most extensive international preparations.
They competed in the 2024 VTV International Women’s Volleyball Cup in Vietnam last August before representing the Philippines at the 2024 Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championship in Thailand.
De La Salle University’s Lady Spikers also ventured to Taiwan, participating in the Taichung Bank Formosa Women’s Volleyball Club Invitationals last September.
Meanwhile, the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons and the University of the East Lady Warriors just came from a month-long training camp in Japan last June.
