Barring any conflict with the NCAA Management Committee, Louie Ramirez is set to play simultaneously for both University of Perpetual Help System-DALTA in the Season 98 men’s volleyball tournament and Imus-Ivy Tuason Photography in the 2023 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference.
Veteran head coach Sammy Acaylar, who handles both teams, revealed that the AJAA Spikers already sent a request letter to both the school and the NCAA Mancom asking them to allow Ramirez – who is coming off an 11-game sweep of the Season 98 men’s beach volleyball tournament – to play for the AJAA Spikers in the semi-pro league while the collegiate tournament is ongoing.
The men’s indoor volleyball tournament will begin on February 18 while the Open Conference will run until the first week of April.
“Actually kinausap ko na yung aming sports coordinator and he told me about the rules and the regulations of the NCAA. So I already gave the letter coming from Imus na ipaalam siya (sa NCAA). So kailangan before the NCAA mapa-approve na yung sulat,” said Acaylar after Imus’ four-set win over Santa Rosa.
“Hindi ko naman isasacrifice si Louie at yung school kung hindi ko alam yung rules. So coming from our sports coordinator, sinabi niya sa akin na pwede naman [na sabay]. Ang problema lang is yung kundisyon ng bata, basta bago mag-eligibility [meeting ang NCAA at] ma-approve siya [makakalaro siya],” he added.
If given the green light by the NCAA Mancom, Ramirez said that he will give his 100-percent to both Imus and Perpetual. Ramirez also said that he will make sure to bring all the lessons that he has learned in the Spikers’ Turf to the NCAA.
“Ayun nga, sabi ni coach siguro alaga na lang sa conditioning ng katawan para kung sakaling kapusin may reserba pa rin na lakas para sa isang team. Para kahit papaano maibibigay ko yung one hundred percent ko sa school ko talaga,” said the converted outside spiker, who also steered the Altas to the NCAA Season 98 Beach Volleyball crown in Subic on Saturday.
“Nakakataas ng morale kasi nga halos mga national players yung nakakasama ko. Mga key spikers pa sa national team so pinapakita ko na lang na kaya ko makipagsabayan kahit na nasa collegiate pa lang ako and gusto ko rin someday na makasama sila sa national team,” he added.
Meanwhile, it is still uncertain if Hero Austria, Ramirez’s teammate in Perpetual and Imus, will be under the same setup.
Ramirez finished with a game-high 17 points on 15 attacks and two blocks off the bench while Austria added six markers in the AJAA Spikers’ tight 25-22, 28-26, 29-31, 25-16 opening day win over Santa Rosa.
Imus will take on the Philippine Air Force on Sunday at 4:00 PM at the same venue.
