MANILA – University of the Philippines Lady Maroons could take another player from Bacolod Tay Tung High School’s secondary girls volleyball team – libero Jeanny Padilla.
Lady Maroons head coach Godfrey Okomu was eyeing the Bacolod City native, who was already done with her playing years for Tay Tung Thunderbolts, the school’s vice president for sports Jose Montalbo told Panay News.
“Interesado si Okomu doon sa libero namin, si Padilla,” Montalbo said. “Grade 11 pa lang siya but her playing years for us are over, so sabi ni (Okomu) na kahit sa UP na niya (Padilla) ituloy iyong Grade 12 para makapag-start na din training with the seniors team.”
“Nakita niya si Padilla noong mag-tune-up kami against sa seniors team nila (last Friday night),” he added. “She will be in good hands naman sa UP if ever dahil maganda ang volleyball program.”
If Padilla, 17 years old, moves to UP, she will be the second Thunderbolts player to do so after Ilongga star setter Marianne Sotomil, who is set to debut in the UAAP Season 81 early next year.
In a related development, Lady Maroons is helping in Tay Tung’s volleyball program after seeing the school team’s success in various competitions in Western Visayas, Montalbo disclosed.
“The support from UP, especially from Dominic Sytin, is a welcome development for us dahil mas mapapaganda pa nito ang high school volleyball program namin,” he said.
“As part of the partnership, UP will be given priority among college recruits interested in our graduating volleyball players,” said Montalbo./PN
