National volleybelles in Japan: Room assignments seen to boost chemistry

MANILA, Philippines – Developing chemistry would be the first order of business as soon as the national women’s volleyball team settles down at the Okayama City Hotel in Okayama, Japan.

In the room assignment leaked to Philstar.com, it appears that head coach Shaq Delos Santos made sure that the players would get a chance to bond and know each other well during the two-week training camp in preparation for the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta and the AVC Asian Cup in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.

Team captain Aby Marano is rooming with former Petron teammate Dindin Manabat, who is making a return after missing the past couple of years of national team duty due to pregnancy and knee injury.

Jaja Santiago, a regular fixture in the national squad, is spending the next two weeks with rookie Majoy Baron while Julia Morado is joining her fellow setter Kim Fajardo in one room.

Of course, Mika Reyes, the team captain last year, would be staying with mild-mannered Maika Ortiz while another rookie in Filipino-American MJ Philips has seasoned national player Denden Lazaro as partner.

That also seems to be the wisdom behind the tandem of Alyssa Valdez and greenhorn Mylene Paat; Kianna Dy and newbie Rebecca Rivera; and Cha Cruz-Behag and CJ Rosario.

In her weekly column at Daily Tribune, Reyes admitted that they have to work hard to develop their chemistry since the Asian Games is just a couple of weeks away.

“This training camp is also our opportunity to bond, get to know each other and improve our chemistry inside and outside the court,” said Reyes, who will join her teammates in some sort of rest and recreation in Osaka City before buckling down to work in the quadrennial meet.

“We have to work double time to improve our chemistry because it’s something that cannot be achieved overnight.”

Also included in the trip are coaches Kungfu Reyes, Brian Esquibel and Delos Santos as well as Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas, Inc. secretary general Ariel Paredes and team official Marissa Andres.

Marano, Paredes and Andres made a courtesy call to the Okayama City mayor Sunday while the rest of the team formally opened the camp.