By: Ernest Tuazon
Italian coach Angiolino Frigoni was named as the new head coach of Alas Pilipinas Men for its build-up ahead of the nation’s hosting of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship 2025.
Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) president Tats Suzara announced the development to reporters during the fifth day of the 2024 FIVB Volleyball Nation’s League Manila leg.
Frigoni was the former lead tactician of the Italian women’s volleyball team and the Netherlands’ national women’s team, which both went to the Olympics under the 70-year-old coach’s supervision.
“Now that we have a new coach, he’s a two-time Olympic coach, Angiolino Frigoli, and he’s here to share with us his expertise and to elevate their skills,” Suzara said.
Suzara also said that the PNVF has been in contact with Japanese club teams to go against Alas Men for a friendly match leading towards the one-year countdown for the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship 2025.
After the Manila leg of the VNL, the PNVF will also hold a tryout in the US for Filipino-Americans to bolster the senior and beach volleyball teams of Alas Pilipinas.
As of writing, there are 45 hopefuls who have signed up for the tryouts.
“After the VNL, we have a tryout in the US with Filipino-Americans… We hope we can really get tall players to beef up our men’s FIVB world championship campaign,” Suzara added.
On the other hand, Ateneo head coach Sergio Veloso will now lead the junior development and grassroot programs for the nation’s volleyball teams.
With the new role, Suzara said that Veloso will take full control of the recruitment and development of both the boys and girls teams of the U-18 and U-20 national volleyball teams heading into the 15th Asian Men’s U-18 Volleyball Championship in Bahrain in July and for a U-18 Girls tournament in Bangkok come November.
“Sergio will be in charge of the U-18 and U-20 national teams… This pool will be in charge of feeding the senior teams with very young players, so it will focus on the upcoming university players to play for the national team,” Suzara said.
Veloso will begin to form the coaching staff and recruitment for the respective junior national volleyball teams in the upcoming 2024 Palarong Pambansa in Cebu scheduled for July 9 to 16.
“He will start recruiting players in the provinces. He will also go to Cebu for the Palarong Pambansa and other provinces,” Suzara added.
