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The future of Philippine volleyball is in good hands. Over the past few years, Filipino women’s volleyball has seen new names emerge on the taraflex. Ever since courts reopened their doors after the pandemic, there has been an unprecedented wave of talent. Most known by many are the UAAP’s two ROY-MVPs, Bella Belen and Angel Canino, together with rising star Shaina Nitura, who broke several records in Season 87, recording the most points scored in a single season with a staggering 314 points. With the addition of these new talents in the Philippine national team alongside several others, Alas Pilipinas has been on a trailblazing winning streak this year. In the AVC Women's Volleyball Nations Cup, the team bagged silver—an improvement from their first podium finish of bronze in 2024. Additionally, the team won bronze in the recent SEA V.League, both in the first and second legs of the tournament. Currently, the Philippines is ranked 46th in the world, marking its highest standing in history. Aside from these team victories, players Angel Canino and Justine Jazareno have also stood out after winning individual plums. Alas Pilipinas’ recent victories have made clear that this new wave of youthful talent has no plans of backing down. The state of Philippine volleyball has seen a sort of renaissance—one reminiscent of the era of Alyssa Valdez and Ara Galang. In the collegiate court and professional league, it’s an era of thrilling rivalries, and on the international stage, it’s an era of roaring patriotism for the country. However, despite the national team’s up-and-coming performance, there are undoubtedly still some things that Alas Pilipinas must polish in its system. For one, the team’s head coach, Jorge Souza de Brito, has been notoriously known for converting players from their natural playing positions. “I’m really happy because if we’ll have any problem during any competition, we can use any player to do another position,” de Brito said, underscoring the necessity to build chemistry within the team. This method has worked in some instances, as shown by Angel Canino, a natural outside hitter, winning Best Opposite Hitter in the 2024 AVC cup. However, it has been quite dodgy on some occasions. Recently, De Brito was criticized by volleyball enthusiasts when Canino was still fielded as an opposite hitter for the second leg of the 2025 SEA V.League, even though she had already earned the Best Outside Hitter plum in the first leg. This practice could cause Alas players to constantly adjust their playing styles just to adapt to their assigned position. Aside from conversions, he has also faced backlash for his decision-making. Decisions such as neglecting to capitalize on a Belen-Canino-Solomon winger frontline, benching star players during pivotal moments, and other momentum-breaking choices have been met with dismay by Filipino volleyball fans. De Brito stated, “I really don’t care what others say because they are not there every day, they don’t work with the players every day.” While it is true that we do not truly know the inner workings of de Brito’s system with Alas Pilipinas, the constant chain of questionable game decisions is worth calling out. With a talent-rich pool of players, experimentation may not be the way to go, especially when many of these players have already shown stellar performance in their respective roles. Beyond concerns regarding the team’s head coach, other factors must also be addressed, like the well-being of the national team’s players. Middle blocker Thea Gagate was ruled out of Alas Pilipinas’ roster for Leg 2 of the 2025 Sea V.League after obtaining a minor ankle injury. On the other hand, opposite hitter Alyssa Solomon faced an injury scare during the team’s bronze-medal game vs. Indonesia. These injuries must serve as a sign for the team’s management and coaching staff to improve their caretaking and training. Furthermore, the team should consider expanding its pool to train more players and create a solid system. Many have urged for DLSU opposite hitter Shevana Laput to be included—a move that would benefit the team massively in reinforcing the opposite wing, albeit she could not be added to the team this year due to academics and recovery from minor injuries. Additionally, it may be worth considering veteran additions to Alas Pilipinas, like middle blocker Majoy Baron, libero Kath Arado, or even the Phenom of Philippine Volleyball herself, Alyssa Valdez. These veteran players have recently displayed ‘vintage’ performance and numbers in the Philippine Volleyball League, proving that their age hasn’t dulled down their playing prowess all that much. While these additions may be far-fetched, considering that the pool has been focusing on younger players, the presence of veteran players could serve as a morale boost for the team. This has been exemplified by veteran setter Jia Morado-de Guzman, who currently serves as the Alas Pilipinas’ captain. The experience she was able to share to Alas Pilipinas after playing for the Denso Airybees in Japan has undeniably been a stepping stone for the players of Alas Pilipinas. So yes, the future of Philippine volleyball is in good hands. The medals and awards the team has recently earned are solid evidence of that. But the mere raw talent that Philippine volleyball currently possesses will not be nearly enough to take our team to the next level. While Alas Pilipinas had already made strides this year with the help of its new generation of talent, aspects outside of the game itself, like the coaching staff’s decision-making, training, and player pool, can still be improved upon. Philippine volleyball is peaking by the second; it only needs the right push to unleash its full potential. The management behind Alas Pilipinas must invest in further improving its program to sharpen the sheer power its players already have. Only then will we see our country reach greater heights in the volleyball scene. Flexing on the taraflex doesn’t start on the four corners of the court itself. It starts within the system.