12 ‘imports’ boost Superliga GPrix

MANILA, Philippines - A total of 12 reinforcements hit town recently, eager to strut their wares in the Philippine Superliga (PSL) Grand Prix which gets going Oct. 18 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

With former Miss Oregon Alaina Bergsma at the helm, this year’s batch of imports is tipped to generate interest among volley fans with their deadly combo of beauty and power in the country’s premiere inter-club volleyball tournament sanctioned by the Philippine Volleyball Federation (PVF), Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) and the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB).

The 6-foot-3 Bergsma skippered the US volleyball squad in several international tournaments while representing the state of Oregon in the 2012 Miss USA-Universe where she clinched the Miss Photogenic Award.

Bergsma will team up with Brazilian setter Erica Adachi, another comely belle who is expected to remind everyone of Leila Barros with her strong sense of leadership and charm, for the Petron Blaze Spikers.

Ramon Suzara, president and CEO of the organizing Sports Core, said this year’s batch of reinforcements is the best – and the prettiest – volleybelles in the world and was acquired through the International Transfer System, which is strictly implemented by the governing FIVB.

“We want to treat fans to a higher level of competition,” said Suzara, who is also the chairman of the Asian Volleyball Confederation Development Committee and a former coach of the national volleyball team.

“By bringing in these world-class reinforcements from the United States, Brazil, Germany, Russia and Japan, we can increase the level of competition in the country that ensures the transfer of technology and raises the morale of our local players when pitted against other Asian countries.”

Aside from Bergsma, also expected to generate attention is former Cincinnati hitter Bonita Wise, a well-known campaigner in the European circuit who was born in the Philippines as his father, Francois, once saw action in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) as an import in the 1980s.

Another beautiful spiker in Kaylee Manns will also be back as she partners with Kristy Jaeckel, a 23-year old hitter who was the toast of the NCAA Division I during her stint with the Florida Gators few years back.

German sensations Lindsay Stalzer and Sarah Ammerman will also suit up for Cignal while the Russian tandem of Elena Tarasova and Irina Tarasova will be at the forefront of an incoming team’s campaign.

Another Russian reinforcement in Natalia Korobkova, meanwhile, will don Generika’s jersey and will conspire with setter Miyuu Shinohara of Japan, who is the youngest import at 19 and the lone Asian coming from a powerhouse country.

“While their experience and skill level were our primary considerations, we were also fortunate to hook up with these beautiful imports,” Suzara said. “True enough, it’s going to be another exciting conference for us.”