Maganda ang kinalabasan ng first phase ng training camp ng Philippine women’s volleyball team sa Okayama City sa Japan, positibo pa ang feedback mula sa astig na coach na si Akiyoshi Kawamoto bagama’t may ilang aspeto pang kailangang i-improve ang Filipinas.
Tatlong oras inensayo ni Kawamoto sa umaga ang Filipinas, bago isinalang sa friendly matches kinahapunan kontra Okayama Seagulls na pinangunahan ni two-time Olympian Mai Yamaguchi. Sadsad ang Filipinas sa final tune -up match, 25-20, 25-23, 25-20.
Hinasa ni Kawamoto ang blocking at floor defense ng Nationals para ihanda sa 19th AVC Asian Senior Women’s Championship at 29th Southeast Asian Games sa August.
“Your team is good, you have a lot of very good players, but there are some minor lapses you have to improve.
If you can correct that, your team has the possibility to win,” sabi ni Kawamoto, dating head coach ng Southeast Asian powerhouse Thailand, kay national coach Francis Vicente pagkatapos ng camp na inayudahan ng Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) at Rebisco.
Inisa-isa ni Kawamoto kay Vicente ang common mistakes at bad habits ng Filipinas.
“So far, so good,” lahad ni Vicente. “He corrected our form in blocking and defensive pattern as well as our approach in attacks. It was very productive.”
Nitong Martes ay dumating na ng Osaka ang Philippine team sa second leg ng 17-day training.
Haharapin ng Nationals ang mga mas batang university teams tulad ng Ryokoku University, Osaka University of HSS at reigning PSL Invitational Conference champion Kobe Shinwa University.
Ilang club teams pa, kasama ng Osaka Superiors, ang pipiga sa Filipinas.