PSL bares loaded calendar for 2016

MANILA, Philippines - Another intense and action-packed women’s volleyball season is in the offing as the Philippine Superliga (PSL) enters its fourth year next year.

PSL president Ramon “Tats” Suzara said the country’s most prestigious inter-club league will have a very loaded schedule in 2016, on top of a couple of international tournaments that will help uplift the state of volleyball in the Philippines.

The league will tip off with an Invitational Cup in February followed by a beach volleyball tournament in May. Then, it will stage its All-Filipino Conference in June where blue chip rookies from the University Athletic Association of the Philippines and National Collegiate Athletic Association are expected to make their mark against elite competition.

The league’s centerpiece and highly-anticipated conference – the import-flavored Grand Prix – is set in October followed by another beach volleyball tournament in December to cap the year.

The PSL is also set to host an international tourney, the AVC Asian Women’s Club Championship, and, probably, the FIVB World Women’s Club Championship next year. Their schedule, however, has yet to be determined.

The PSL’s 2016 calendar is expected to be formalized and approved by the team owners during the league’s planning session on November 11.

“Due to our tremendous success this year, we have decided to treat fans to year-long activities of intense volleyball action,” said Suzara, a revered figure in the international volleyball scene being a ranking executive of both AVC and FIVB.

With such a loaded calendar, Suzara said team owners have decided to do away with the per-conference agreement with their respective players. Instead, teams will offer their players an annual contract that will not only secure their future, but will also compel them to play only for their mother teams in the PSL.

So far, only three PSL players are also seeing action in another league.

“It was already agreed in principle and will be formalized during the planning session,” Suzara said. “With the battle for the crown heating up, team owners are now serious to build a title contender. This is really a giant step towards a more competitive league next year.”