By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
The Philippine women’s softball team hopes to get international exposures before seeing action in the 2023 World Cup slated July 22 to 26 in Italy.
The Blu Girls, composed of homegrown talents, earned a berth at the prestigious event after placing fourth in the recent Women’s Softball Asia Cup in Incheon, South Korea where they finished with a 5-3 win-loss record.
To figure respectably in the event, the Blu Girls need to toughen up by training and competing abroad.
“Alam naman ng mga coaches namin na yun ang kulang,” said team captain and starting pitcher Ann Antolihao in the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex Tuesday, April 11.
The Blu Girls are bracketed in a strong field composed of Asia Cup champion Japan, Canada, Venezuela, New Zealand and host Italy.
At the World Cup, the top two teams will earn seedings to the 2024 World Cup edition.
The last time the country competed in the World Cup was in 2018 where the PH team finished 14th out of 16 countries.
Pitcher CJ Roa said if given the chance, the team would like to have a training camp in Japan.
“High-level training talaga sa Japan kahit sa tuneup games with university schools. Kaya kung bibigyan kami ng chance, sana maka-train kami sa Japan,” said Roa.
“Kung tao sa tao, meron naman tayong ibubuga. Pero kailangan pa rin ng exposure para mas lalong lumakas as a team,” catcher Celine Ojare added.
The World Cup will also serve as a springboard for the PH team’s preparations for the 19th Asian Games slated in August in Hangzhou, China.
