THOSE invited for the national volleyball team tryouts in Subic later this week are now being swab-tested for the coronavirus as part of health and safety protocols.
All the athletes, coaches, officials, and staff participating in the tryouts from April 28 to 30 are undergoing RT-PCR tests for the next three days at the Mall of Asia Arena before being allowed to proceed to the tryouts.
Testing started on Monday with the invitees for women’s volleyball and the staff of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) who will oversee the tryout bubble.
The men’s volleyball tryout participants will have their turn on Tuesday, while the invitees for women’s and men’s beach volleyball will undergo testing on Wednesday.
Tryouts for the men’s and women’s volleyball teams are set on Wednesday and Thursday at the Subic Gym, while those for the men’s and women’s beach volleyball squads are scheduled on Friday at the Subic Tennis Courts.
“These RT-PCR tests are first and foremost on the PNVF’s list of priorities for these tryouts. The health and safety of everyone in the Subic bubble is paramount to the federation,” said PNVF President Ramon Suzara in a statement.
For the tryouts, invited were 40 women and 40 men for indoor volleyball while 20 women and 20 men were invited for beach volleyball.
Local volleyball officials are looking to assemble formidable squads that will see action in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam from Nov. 21 to Dec. 2.
National coaches Odjie Mamon (volleyball women) Dante Alinsunurin (volleyball men), Paul Jan Doloiras (beach volleyball women), and Rhovyl Verayo (beach volleyball men) will supervise the tryouts.
The PNVF assured that the tryouts are to be conducted in coordination with Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority officials and Philippine Red Cross officers to ensure that safety and health of all participants are guarded. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo