Tiamzon and Sindayen Tiamzon and Sindayen: Spike and Serve frontliners. (With reports from Gab Ferreras.)

Spike and serve with Nicole and Che

May 22, 2021 Ed Andaya 1451 views

DO YOU want to spike and serve with Nicole Tiamzon and Cherilyn Sindayen of Banko Perlas?

If you’re a genuine volleyball fan, you surely wouldn’t want to miss the chance.

“Spike and Serve is our way of paying it forward. We want to share what we have learned in volleyball over the years,” said Tiamzon during the “Usapang Sports on Air” by the Tabloids Organization in Philippine Sports (TOPS) via Zoom.

Tiamzon, who established Spike and Serve right after her graduation at the University of the Philippines in 2017, believes a lot should be done to keep volleyball alive in the country.

One of them is to continue to look and develop new talents around the country.

“At Spike and Serve, we do our best to discover young players and help them reach their potential through regular training and proper exposure. I started this advocacy after I graduated at UP in 2017 and now we’re getting bigger and better,” added Tiamzon during the weekly forum sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and Games and Amusements Board (GAB).

“We started in my hometown in Taytay, Rizal with about 15 kids. Then we started to expand and go to different provinces upon invitation. In 2018, we launched our grassroot development program. We really want to help underprivileged children in public schools Gusto namin na maabot din nila yun mga pangarap nila,” Tiamzon told People’s Tonight.

“We also helped their coaches a lot, so they can continue the program we started,. Importante na tuloy-tuloy yun training,” explained Tiamzon, who plays as outside hitter for Banko Perlas in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL).

Tiamzon credited her former coaches at UP and other close friends for helping her pursue the advocacy.

“Sa simula mag-isa lang talaga ako. Tapos medyo magulo pa ang situation sa volleyball nun. But that didn’t stop me to do this one because yung mga former coaches ko, pati na mga taga UP naniniwala sa aking advocacy. We really have to take a risk with our program,” recalled Tiamzon.

Tiamzon’s teammate and fellow Spike and Serve advocate Cherilyn Sindayen said they have been holding regular volleyball clinics and trainings and even one-day leagues in different parts of the country since 2017.

Sindayen, however, admitted the coronavirus pandemic put a halt to their program.

“Let’s admit mahirap yun situation natin ngayon na may pandemic,” explained Sindayen, who played for the Lyceum Lady Pirates.

“But when I joined Spike and Serve in 2019, I know what we have to do to succeed. It’s very inspiring, lalo na yun mission ng S&S to educate and engage the community most especially to the youth,” recalled Sindayen.

“Dun talaga na-touch yung heart ko para sumali dito. Gaya ni Ate Tiams, gusto ko din tumulong talaga sa mga bata na walang platform na matuto mag-volleyball. The biggest challenge now is to continue doing it kahit ngayon na may pandemic. Ngayon kahit online, nagtuturo kami,” said Sindayen, a BSBA Management/Accounting graduate at Lyceum in 2019.

Sindayen believes there are many talented young players, especially in the provinces, waiting to be discovered.

“Unlike sa amin na may mga teams at coaches kami nung high school and college, madaming kabataan ngayon wala talagang platform. Kahit gusto nilang matuto, walang coaches, walang programa. Yun ang gusto naming gawin ngayon dahil naniniwala kaming madami pa tayong magagaling na atleta.”

Added Sindayen: “Yun mga volleyball players na tinutulungan natin ngayon, baka sila na yun next Nicole Tiamzon or iba pang mga volleyball stars natin ngayon.”

The good news is that Tiamzon and Sindayen are not the only ones who share the same advocacy of promoting grassroots volleyball.

“Madami kaming naniniwala sa pag-develop ng grassroots volleyball. There’s Coach Shannen Palec of Choco Mucho/UST. There’s Coach Angelica Dacaymat of UE/UAC. Also, Coach Mac Millete of UP Men’s, Coach JM Baldelovar of UP men’s tean, physical therapist and Coach Joseph Austria of Trinity University of Asia. Of ciurse, yun team namin, Perlas Spikers. Also Charo Soriano (PNVF board member) is supporting us along the way with this advocacy.”

Asked about Banko Perlas Spikers and the coming PVL season in July, both Tiamzon and Sindayen believe they can manage their time well.

“We talked about it. We have assistant program directors who can step up even when we are not around. We know our responsibilities as Perlas players and we have responsibilities as Spike and Serve advocates, and we hope we can manage our time well,” chorused the two leading ladies of S&S Philippines.

For them, the best is yet to come.

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