The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) has given the green light on the Philippine National Volleyball Federation’s (PNVF) request for a Brazilian coach to man the national women’s team, tapping former Olympic gold medalist Jorge Edson Souza de Brito to the position.
“We are thankful for the FIVB’s quick response to our request and we are more thankful that the federation picked an excellent man for the job,”said PNVF president Ramon “Tats” Suzara. “With coach Jorge’s vast experience as a coach and player, we are very sure that we will get the technology transfer we have aspired for.”
De Brito brings with him excellent credentials that include winning a gold medal in the 1992 Summer Olympics. He later added another gold medal, this time as a coach, when he led Brazil’s women’s team to the gold medal in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
The 54-year-old Souza de Brito also has vast experience as a coach for numerous top clubs in the Brazilian league from 2002 onwards and has captured titles and clinching podium finishes in Turkey and Japan.
Souza de Brito will collaborate with national women’s team coach Odjie Mamon for two years upon his arrival in June or July with the FIVB subsidizing his salary, explained Suzara.
Suzara added that Souza de Brito’s hiring falls under the FIVB’s coaching support for technical and tactical development of national teams project agreement.
“The FIVB will be paying for coach Jorge’s salary but the PNVF will be responsible for his accommodation, food and local transport,” Suzara said.
Suzara sealed the FIVB assistance in a recent virtual meeting with FIVB General Manager Fabio Azevedo, Head of Technical and Development Department Steve Tutton, Director for Asia and Oceania Luis Alexandre Pontes Rodrigues and Sports Development Department Hitesh Malhotra. PNVF board member Ricky Palou also joined Suzara in the meeting.
Suzara said the PNVF applied for the FIVB’s development project platform to bolster the women’s team that hasn’t won a Southeast Asian Games medal since 2005. The FIVB also granted Kenya, Argentina and Turkey the same privilege last year.
“I would like to emphasize that we are very serious on improving our women’s national team,” Suzara said. “At the moment, he [Souza de Brito] will focus on the women’s team only, and let’s see if we can expand later to the youth squad.”
The development came just days after the PNVF successfully conducted a three-day bubble tryout for the national teams for volleyball and beach volleyball. (JNP)