Don’t look now, but women’s volleyball is threatening to upstage basketball as the country’s top spectator sport. The bronze medal finish in the recently-concluded Asian Women’s Volleyball Challenge Cup 2024, bannered by a mix of steady veterans and young, energetic collegiate stars, has certainly raised awareness in the game; and interest for the women’s game is once again over the roof.
Women’s volleyball made great strides at the turn of the century with the frequent visits of world-class volleybelles, the most famous of whom was the sizzling-hot Leila Barros. The charismatic Leila, who would later on rise to become a distinguished senator in her native Brazil, had the combination of great talent, good looks, plus a cheerful disposition that made her easily accessible to the common fans. There was a time when every young girl in Manila wanted to be like Leila. And this explains the boom in Philippine women’s volleyball in the early 2000s.
But the development of women’s volleyball fell apart when sports politics reared its ugly head more than a decade ago, creating a leadership crisis that would almost lead to the demise of Philippine Volleyball. Players and fans were affected, with our players unable to lift their game as sports leaders squandered the players’ opportunities for much-needed exposure abroad. Today, Philippine women’s volleyball is still recovering from the in-fighting that led to the sport’s deterioration. Philippine Volleyball in general is still trying to catch up with their Southeast Asian counterparts, particularly the Thai and the Vietnamese sides, who have made remarkable strides through international exposure during the past decade.
Today, more and more ladies are taking on the sport. And we now have an abundance of poster girls who are eager to assume the responsibility of growing the sport even further. Alyssa Valdez leads the bevy of stars who are determined to take Philippine women’s volleyball a notch higher. Along with her are veterans Rachel Daquiz, Juvy Gonzaga, Mika Reyes, Aby Marano and many more. Next to them come the likes of Jaja Santiago and Jia Morado De Guzman, who have since carved a name for themselves in far-away Japan. Other lookers with excellent volleyball skills include Jema Galanza, Michelle Gumabao, Kianna Dy and many more. Not only do these ladies do good by playing superb volleyball, they recognize the need to look good and feel good to be able to bring in more fans to the stadiums. And indeed, the fans have responded accordingly.
Women’s volleyball started its development and owes much of its popularity to the collegiate leagues, where it developed a large and passionate fan base. The Premiere Volleyball League (PVL) in turn has been instrumental in nurturing and assuring homegrown talents out of college of a steady source of income. Hence, there is now a steady stream of young (and stunning) players such as Kat Tolentino, Deanna Wong; national team stunners Ea Laure, Angel Canino, Vannie Gandler, Jen Nierva and Fifi Sharma; and collegiate standouts Bela Bellen, Alyssa Solomon and others.
The growth of women’s professional volleyball in the Philippines has been a pleasant surprise. And its increasing popularity among Filipino sports fans was seen in the recent AWV Challenge Cup. Basketball used to be clearly head-and-shoulders above all other spectator sports in the country. But the exodus of the country’s best young local cagers to the Japanese, Korean and Taiwan leagues; plus the availability on TV of NBA games featuring bigger, faster and brawnier stars; coupled with the predictability of winners in the PBA; all these factors have somehow affected the popularity of men’s professional basketball. This in turn has led to the opportunity for such sports as volleyball, football and softball to stake their claim on the Philippine sports map.
Today, the PVL hopes to professionalize women’s volleyball in the Philippines by implementing standards and regulations that ensure fair play, high-standard competition, and player welfare. The recently-created Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF), with the help of the PVL, strives to be the main catalyst for the growth of grassroots volleyball in the Philippines. Given the inspiration and the adequate support from well-meaning companies, we can expand the talent pool of lady volleyball players in the country, and ensure a sustainable future for the sport.
The development of Philippine women’s professional volleyball has been a pleasant and remarkable surprise. It is a transformative journey that has significantly contributed to the growth and popularity of the sport in the country. The league has provided a platform for female athletes to showcase their skills, and continues to inspire the next generation of young girls to pursue their passion for volleyball. With continued support and investment, the future of women’s volleyball in the Philippines certainly looks bright and promising.
Cover photo courtesy of OneSports. Other pics courtesy of OneSports.ph, X, Spin.ph, Facebook, the Daily Tribune, Rappler, Inquirer,net, the Premiere V League, Instagram, YouTube and Tiebreaker Times. For a closer look, just click on the pics. Enjoy!
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