PH women's volley team not in Baguio says national team director Velasco

No! The Philippine women's volleyball team is not training in Baguio right now amid a COVID-19 spike there says national training director Marc Velasco. Ivan Saldajeno (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA—National training director Marc Velasco clarified some matters regarding the state of the Philippine volleyball teams in terms of their training as reports from Baguio over the weekend said that some players who are said to be part of the women's team have contracted COVID-19 there.

"The PSC would like to inform that the national volleyball team is not training in PSC Baguio," the PSC official said on Sunday night.

The reports came amid another story that some members of the Banko Perlas delegation which chose Baguio as the site of its bubble training ahead of the upcoming PVL season got COVID-19.

According to Baguio City mayor Benjamin Magalong, eight Banko Perlas players got positive results in their recent COVID-19 tests, although he did not disclose who the spikers are.

"As such, the PSC referred the matter to the Games and Amusement Board for requisite monitoring," Velasco further said.

Meanwhile, Velasco confirmed that the national volleyball teams will begin their bubble training on Thursday.

The Philippine National Volleyball Federation picked Laoag as the site of the bubble training as both Philippine volleyball teams prepare for the AVC Seniors Championships in Central Luzon for the women's team and Chiba, Japan for the men's team.

Interestingly enough, the PVL is also looking to open its new season in Laoag.

According to league president Ricky Palou, the PVL might begin its bubble season there on July 17.

The PNVF earlier said that it might take a look at the PVL to scout the players who were invited to the Philippine women's team tryouts but begged off in hopes of completing the training pool.

Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno