Rachel Anne Daquis named captain of PSL squad to Women's World Club meet

RACHEL Anne Daquis has been named team captain of the PSL Manila squad that will compete in the Women's Club World Championship set October 18 to 23 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The 28-year old outside hitter was chosen over seven imports and six other local players, namely Jovelyn Gonzaga, Jaja Santiago, Mika Reyes, Kim Fajardo, Ces Molina and Jen Reyes.

"Title 'yung pagiging team captain pero para sa akin it's more on a responsibility as an ate sa kanila," said Daquis. "'Di ko tine-take 'yun as kaya ako captain kasi ako ang pinakamagaling."

Six of the seven imports have attended practice, with Stephanie Niemer and Lindsay Stalzer from the USA, Tichaya Boonlert of Thailand, Ekaterina Krivets of Russia, Yevgeniya Nyukalova of Ukraine and Yuri Fukuda of Japan suiting up.

Linda Morales from Puerto Rico skipped training as she has yet to recover from jet lag.

Daquis was a member of the Philippine team that competed in the 2015 Southeast Asian Games and the Asian Women's Club Championship last year.

"Syempre unang-una para sundin ka nila respeto din sa kanila ang ibibigay mo, pero hindi mo naman kailangan magpasunod ng imports, 'yung task mo is i-guide sila sa team," she said.

"'Di dahil team captain ka pagagalitan mo sila, hindi ganoon it's more of setting an example," she said.

Source: Mei-Lin Lozada of Spin.ph

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Philippines to host its first-ever Women's Club World Championship

FIVB Executive co-opted member Stav Jacobi (right) and Philippine Super Liga president Ramon Suzara at the signing ceremony for Philippines' hosting of the FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship

Manila, Philippines, May 8, 2016 – The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) and Eventcourt have announced that the Philippine capital, Manila, will be the host of the FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship 2016, which will take place from October 18 to 23.

The secret was unveiled in Manila on Sunday after having considered numerous bid applications.

“This is a historic moment for the FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship and to break new ground with the Philippines is very pleasing,” FIVB President Dr. Ary S. Graça F° said. “The Philippines has a great tradition of hosting international women’s volleyball and now joins a long list of prestigious hosts of the FIVB’s signature women’s club event, providing a new opportunity for Philippine’s volleyball and its passionate fans to once again embrace international women’s volleyball and enjoy it.”

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FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship 2015

FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship History

FIVB Volleyball

The Philippines follows Brazil (1991, 1994), Italy (1992), Qatar (2010, 2011, 2012) and Switzerland (2013, 2014, 2015) as host countries of the FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship.

This decision is undoubtedly of epic proportions for the Philippines, as this will be the first-ever World Championship in volleyball to be held in the country and will add to its impressive hosting portfolio, having previously been a host of the FIVB’s premier annual women’s volleyball competition  - the World Grand Prix.

The FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship 2016 will take place at the Mall of Asia Arena, which has a seating capacity of 15,000.

Philippine Super Liga president Ramon Suzara knows that organising the Women’s Club World Championship is a big honour for his country.

“The 2016 FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship will be one, if not the biggest, of the major international tournaments we will be hosting here in the Philippines,” Suzara said. “Therefore, we are going to build a special organisation team with Eventcourt in order to provide a tournament of historic proportions.

“Philippine volleyball is experiencing a renaissance. But our athletes have been participating at international competitions only lately. The FIVB, however, has been very supportive of our endeavours to make the Philippines a strong sporting country again.”

FIVB Executive co-opted member Stav Jacobi is confident that the Philippines is the perfect place to host the pinnacle of women’s volleyball club competitions.

“The FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship has become a tournament of impressive extent over the last year,” Jacobi said. “The three editions in Zurich, economic capital of Switzerland, took this prestigious tournament to a new level. I am convinced that Manila and the Philippines have the infrastructure and knowledge to build on the recent advances.”

The 2016 edition of the FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship will also have many innovations. One of these changes will be the increase in the number of the participating teams. 

For the first time in history, eight of the best teams in the world are going to play at the Women’s Club World Championship, split into two pools of four teams. 

The organisers announced the first four participants, including South American champions Rexona Ades of Brazil, CEV Champions League winners Pomi Casalmaggiore of Italy, and Asian champions Bangkok Glass of Thailand. 

Local volleyball fans, on the other hand, can look forward to the performance of the host nation’s All-Star team, which will comprise of stars from the Philippine Super Liga. 

The additional four teams will be distributed via wild cards.

Source: http://www.fivb.com/en/about/news/philippines-to-host-its-first-ever-womens-club?id=60478

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Crowd pull key in PH bid to host world volley

Women’s volleyball’s impressive crowd pull in the country gives the Philippines an edge in the bidding to stage the prestigious FIVB World Women’s Club Championship next year.

Philippine Superliga president Ramon “Tats” Suzara said the FIVB is particularly impressed at how women’s volleyball has built a big following in the country.

Suzara Sunday gave Stav Jacobi, an executive council member of FIVB and the man in charge of studying the hosting bids, a tour of the billeting areas and the possible venue, Mall of Asia Arena.

Jacobi went to the inaugurals of the Superliga Grand Prix at Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna, Saturday and expressed satisfaction at the size of the crowd.

“With a crowd like this, I think the Philippines will have an edge in the bidding process,” Jacobi was quoted as saying by Suzara.

The FIVB is set to name the 2016 host by November.

Jacobi sat down with PSL chair Philip Ella Juico, TV5 Sports head Chot Reyes and Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas Inc. (LVPI) vice president Peter Cayco to make sure all the FIVB requirements are met.

Apart from the Philippines, Turkey is also bidding to host the eight-club tournament, which is expected to cost the host country at least P55 million in expenses.

The tournament assembles all the top-tier squads from the world’s biggest leagues. If the Philippines wins the hosting chores, it can field a club team that will be reinforced by as many as six top international players.

Source: Marc Anthony Reyes of Inquirer.net

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