Jia Morado says she respects decision to exclude her from national team

MANILA, Philippines – Ateneo Lady Eagles team captain and setter Jia Morado says she fully respects the decision of her exclusion from the newly formed women’s national volleyball team pool for the upcoming 2017 Southeast Asian Games. 

Fresh from her team’s straight-set victory against the University of Santo Tomas Tigresses on Wednesday, the Katipunan squad’s skipper noted that she has already made peace with the announcement as she believes that the chosen athletes were likewise deserving of their spots. 

“Siguro what we can do is just respect the decision,” said Morado after the game. “Pagdating naman sa training pool, anyone who’s there, we would want to support them.” (READ: Ateneo reveals volleyball players didn’t get national team invites)

(Perhaps what we can do is just respect the decision. When it comes to the training pool, anyone who’s there, we would want to support them.) 

“Hindi lang naman kasi sila [players] ‘yung nire-represent nila, ‘yung buong country eh,” added Morado. (They’re not only representing themselves, but the whole country.) 

“I know that everyone in that training pool deserves to be there.” 

The national team pools for both men’s and women’s volleyball were announced on Tuesday, March 14, with collegiate powerhouse players Alyssa Valdez, Mika Reyes, Kim Fajardo, and Santiago sisters Jaja and Dindin leading the pack. 

Morado, who acted as the main setter at the 2015 Asian Women’s U23 Volleyball Championship as well as the Southeast Asian Games of the same year, told Rappler that she isn’t closing any doors on the possibility of representing the country again, given the chance. 

“Of course, anyone would want to be in that pool naman, but right now, yes [respect the decision].”

Morado as well as fellow Blue Eagle and 3-time UAAP MVP Marck Espejo made rounds on social media following the pool announcement, with netizens actively engaging in debates. 

National team coach Francis Vicente previously said in reports that he has invited Morado to join the tryouts, while Ateneo officials countered the claim on Wednesday, saying neither the players nor the athletics office got an official letter. －Rappler.com