A total of 16 teams are set to participate in the returning Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League, which kicks off on May 6 at the New San Andres gym.
Five schools from the UAAP, four from the NCAA, and schools representing other leagues, including several from the provinces, will be vying in the tournament, which will be held on Saturdays and Sundays only.
Since games will only be played on weekends, there will be six matches played per day during the first three weeks of the expected five-week run of the meet.
“We’re excited because not only do we have the top UAAP and NCAA schools, but we also have the top non-UAAP and NCAA schools joining the tournament. So we have the best of the best in the high school division,” said Ian Laurel, president of the organizing Athletic Events and Sports Management Inc. (ACES), during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday at the conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
Following the successful Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-Season, ACES chairman Philip Ella Juico stressed that it’s time to focus on developing young girls at the high school level.
“Now we’re turning our eyes on the high school division, both junior and high school. Suffice it to say, ACES is confining ourselves to schools. We are a non-professional, strictly amateur organization that thrives on developing young men, women, and girls for future endeavors. It starts here, but it doesn’t end here,” said Juico.
Both Juico and Laurel were joined in the session presented by San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission, MILO Philippines, Philippine Olympic Committee, and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) by coaches of some of the participating teams, namely JP Yude (Adamson), Aimee Mendoza (De La Salle-Lipa), Jennifer Arasan (Emilio Aguinaldo College), Gelina Luceno (National University assistant team manager), and Rhea Ramirez (Arellano University).
Aside from La Salle Lipa, other schools seeing action are Bacolod Taytung, Naga College Foundation, California Academy, Kings Montessori, Saint Clare, among others.
“As we said, this is an invitational, but it’s like a national invitational championship. You have the cream of the crop,” said Juico.
“Having a high-level competition that includes UAAP, NCAA, and other schools, looking forward, every year for a big tournament like this, they have something to prepare for, they have goals. That’s what we aspired to accomplish with this high school-level tournament.“
All 16 teams will be divided into four groups of four teams each, with the top two from each bracket after the pool play advancing to the playoffs. The quarterfinals and semifinals are both knockout phases, while the finals are planned to be a best-of-three series.
The tournament ends in the second week of June.
