By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Capital1 Solar Energy hopes to make a name in the Premier Volleyball League as it debuts in the All-Filipino Conference unfolding Feb. 20 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum with a team mentored by multi-titled coach in Roger Gorayeb.
“Great teams take time. We hope we can create a formidable team in the next two to three years and hope we can find diverse talents around the country and create a culture to elevate our team,” said Mandy Romero, who co-owns the team with sister Milka, during the press conference at the Milky Way in Makati on Thursday, Jan. 25.
For Mandy, she and her sister can relate to their players being former athletes themselves.
Mandy, who is the president of the Capital Solar Energy, was a former national muay thai team member while Milka was former co-captain of the Ateneo football team.
“We’ve been young athletes. We have that competitive spirit. We know how to be passionate team owners and our inherited passion for winning is something we learned from our dad,” said Mandy, referring to father, billionaire sportsman Mikee Romero.
GlobalPort president Sheila Romero, Milka and Mandy’s mother, PVL president Ricky Palou and chair Tonyboy Liao and Capitol1 assistant team manager Edwin Galvez were also in attendance.
Despite short notice, Gorayeb vowed to make the team competitive.
“Mabilis lahat ng pangyayari,” said Gorayeb, winners of nine championships in the Shakey’s V-League before it became the PVL who was acquired only last Saturday, Jan. 20.
“Seventy-five nag-tryout nung first day, and more than 50 in the next. Now, may 23 players na kami sa pool. We will trim down to 20. Dadalhin ko yung experience ko dito sa team na ito and na-feel ko yung interest ni Milka and Mandy, hindi kami nagkakalayo sa vision,” he added.
Among the players Gorayeb tapped were Jorelle Singh, Aiko Urdas, Jannine Navarro, Heather Guino-o, and Rovie Instrella.
Palou said he is excited of Capitol1’s entry.
“We’re excited to have Capitol1 in the PVL, we expect them to bring a lot of excitement to the league,” he said.
The Romero siblings stressed they’re undaunted by the lack of time to prepare saying they consider it as a chance to shine.
“We take that short notice as a momentum that we could build a team that we could adjust quickly and go from there. One step at a time, we want to win, that’s why everybody’s here,” they said.
