TEAM Manila-Philippines is out to score a three-peat in the Pony International Girls Softball World Series set July 17-20 in McAllen, Texas.
Coach Sheirylou Valenzuela said all eyes will be on the Filipina belles, who retained the U-18 championship last year with an eighth-game sweep of the tournament, including a 6-0 shutout of home bet Glory Adkins Bejar in the title game.
Valenzuela specifically mentioned the team from Puerto Rico as one of the biggest threats in the Philippines’ bid for a third straight crown, sharing before the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum her friendly banter with the coach of the Caribbean country, who vowed to get even against Team Manila this year.
“Nu’ng nakita niya ako nu’ng 2024, sinabi niya, ‘tinalo mo ako, babalikan kita.’ ‘Yung players niya kasi nung 2024 bago lahat. Sabi niya ‘babalikan kita kasi ikaw‘yung tumalo sa amin,’” Valenzuela said yesterday in the weekly public sports program at the conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
Aside from Puerto Rico, Manila councilor and Team Manila Softball President Rafael “Che” Borromeo said teams from the US and Latin America are among those considered contenders in the four-day, annual meet.
“Hindi pa certain pero may nagpasabinabakasumali ‘yunggrupo ng Japan at China. ‘Yung Puerto Rico at Mexico, ‘yunangmabibigatnakalabannatin. Sana masungkitulitnatin ‘yungtitulosadasal at satulongninyo,” said Borromeo, who joined Valenzuela and team manager Giovanni Mapa in the session backed by San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Milo, Smart/PLDT, and the country’s 24/7 app ArenaPlus.
Only three players from last year’s championship unit will be returning for another stint.
Most of the players came from Adamson, La Salle, and Bacolod, according to Mapa, while adding that the team has been in training for about two months now before its departure on July 14.
A total of 27 teams are participating in this year’s edition to be bracketed into several groups.
