Joy evident as ‘beach’ stars reunite for training
AS the bubble training camp enters its third week, Creamline’s aces Sisi Rondina and Jude Garcia seemed to have already settled down as the national beach volleyball team’s preparations for this month’s AVC Continental Cup in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte have gone full blast.
The absolute joy of finally getting a face-to-face training after more than a year of working out online for the athletes was very evident as Rondina was able to reunite with his long-time partner Bernadeth Pons, hardly missing a beat.
So is Garcia, who got his groove back with his teammate Anthony “Krung” Arbasto, doing things what they do best in the sand court.
Making up for lost time, the Creamline players are working out twice-a-day as they gird up for the Philippines’ campaign in the continental qualifiers for the Tokyo Olympics.
The AVC Continental Cup will also serve as part of the the country’s preparations to the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi later this year.
Since they entered the bubble on May 18, good vibes have reigned in the Pagudpud training camp in the scenic Villa del Mar resort.
“We’ve been training for almost two weeks. Apart from getting used to the heat, we also have already desensitized to the routinary twice-a-day sand court training,” said Creamline beach volleyball program head Charo Soriano.
“In between our sand court training, Coach Paolo Escaño, our strength and conditioning coach, makes sure that the players are ready for their upcoming international competitions,” she added.
To make them relaxed and at peace despite the rigors of training, the Creamline players were recently treated to a restorative yoga session conducted by beauty queen-turned-yoga instructor Jamie Herrell.
“We’ve been working on other facets here in the bubble, too. We believe that mental toughness, emotional stability, and spiritual calmness will complement the physical aspect of the players’ training program. Jamie’s Restorative Yoga Session provides balance and inner peace,” said Soriano.
The Philippines will compete for the second straight Continental Cup in Thailand’s Nakhon Pathom province starting on June 18.
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