Latest news with #PVL
Hindustan Times
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Saqlain Tariq: The setter with a volleyball legacy
New Delhi: When coach Dragan Mihailovic named the Indian volleyball players who've made a real impact, one of the first names he mentioned was Saqlain Tariq. The 27-year-old setter from Poonch, Jammu & Kashmir, has carved a path few from the Valley have dared to tread. For him, volleyball isn't just a sport, it's what he was destined to do. Saqlain Tariq, the setter from J&K, will lead Delhi Toofans in the Prime Volleyball League this year. (PVL) Born into a family of national-level players — his father Mohammad Tariq and brother Ramiz Tariq — the 6'3' Saqlain's journey began early. He first picked up the sport as a sixth grader and by the time he was in eighth, he had moved to the Punjab Sports Hostel to chase bigger dreams. At just 17, he became the first player from the Valley to don the India jersey, debuting at the 10th Asian Youth Volleyball Championship in Colombo in 2014. More than a decade later, the glow of that first international outing hasn't faded. Yet, it's the friendly matches back home at the Manjeet Singh Volleyball Club, or the daily training sessions with 50-60 young hopefuls, that bring him the most joy. Even as Indian volleyball battles infrastructural and administrative hurdles, Saqlain remains optimistic. He sees the Prime Volleyball League (PVL)— now heading into its fourth season — as extremely vital for the sport in India. 'The league matters a lot for youngsters,' he told Hindustan Times. 'You get to learn from foreign players and evolve faster. And with a steady platform, we finally have a source of income to invest in our fitness and diet.' Despite years of living away from home, Saqlain makes it a point to return to his roots. Every evening at 5 pm, he joins the young players in ground practice at the Shaheed Manjit Singh Volleyball Club, just as he once did years ago. 'The kids light up when I join them. It makes me happy too,' he says. 'I believe showing up where I started, sticking to the same discipline, inspires them. At the very least, it keeps them away from the filth of the world.' When he started out, opportunities for competitive exposure were rare. But the PVL is changing that. 'The league has helped us improve in international events. The World Championship, climbing the world rankings — these are crucial goals. And with more exposure, we're on the right track.' As captain of Delhi Toofans this season, Saqlain values the off-court connections just as much as the on-court drills. 'We talk, we meet, we eat meals together, talk about things beyond sport. The more you connect off the field, the better your reflexes and chemistry are on it,' he says. 'That's when the court truly feels like your zone, when you feel at home with your team.' Even as he thinks about what he would like to do when he steps away as a player in the future, Saqlain will return to the same ground and show the path to those who need it.
United News of India
4 days ago
- Sport
- United News of India
Being unpicked in Season 1 auction spurred me to improve: Volleyball star Shameemudheen
New Delhi, July 20 (UNI) Shameemudheen Ammarambath, who was one of the heftiest buys in the recent Season 4 auction of the Prime Volleyball League (PVL), says that being unpicked during the Season 1 auction spurred him on to become a better player. In an exclusive interview with UNI, Shameemudheen explained how the disappointment of being unpicked ignited a fire in him. "I was disappointed. However, in mid season I got an opportunity to play as a replacement player and was part of the winning team. And because there was that disappointment, I ensured that in the subsequent seasons I did not go unsold. 'I put on more efforts in my training and practice," said Shameemudheen, who represents the Indian Air Force. Shameemudheen, who plays as a middle blocker, was brought in as an injury replacement for the Kolkata Thunderbolts mid-season, and played a key role in helping the franchise win the trophy during Season 1. He was subsequently picked by Mumbai Meteors where he played Season 2 and 3. This year he was acquired by Calicut Heroes for Rs 22.5 lakhs during the Season 4 auction in June. This was the joint highest bid which he shared with Jerome Viniit and Vinit Chaudhary. He said that due to the PVL, Indian volleyball players have started getting offers from foreign leagues. "Since the PVL started, there has been a lot of interest in Indian players from foreign leagues. I have got offers from the UAE and Maldives. But for me playing for the Indian Air force is a priority. Chirag (Yadav) is playing in the Maldives, John Joseph is playing in the UAE. They were noticed through the PVL," he said. The Mallapuram native, who hopes to be a part of India' s Asian Games Volleyball team next year, said the Prime Volleyball League (PVL) has taken the popularity of the sport to a different level in Kerala. "Volleyball was popular in Kerala, but once the league came it was widely followed on TV. Fan groups have further accentuated the growth of the game in the state. For example, Chembada, the fan group of Calicut Heroes, is very active locally," he said. Speaking about his personal journey in volleyball, Shameemudheen said he was initially into football, and then forayed into volleyball, courtesy a chance incident. "I used to play football in my village. Once while playing in my village, there was a volleyball match on nearby. As it happened, they were short of two people. So two of us tall guys were roped in to the volleyball match. That is how I started. This was when I was in Class 11-12," he recalled. After his schooling in Mallapuram, Shameemudheen went to college in Kochi, where he was picked for the Volleyball team. He went on to play many local tournaments and eventually got selected for the Indian Air force (IAF) Team. He named some of the players to watch out for during the Season 4 of the Prime Volleyball league. "Jerome Viniit, Vinit Chaudhary are always dangerous players who have performed well through the years, and among the youngsters Muhammad Jasim and Jasjot Singh are likely to do well in the upcoming league." said Shameemudheen. Season 4 of the Prime Volleyball League will start on October 2, 2025. The venue is yet to be decided. UNI RKM RN SSP
GMA Network
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- GMA Network
Alyssa Valdez happy for Jia De Guzman's Creamline return
Alyssa Valdez herself is happy for Jia De Guzman's upcoming return to Creamline. After a two-year stint in Japan, De Guzman is returning to the Philippines and will rejoin the Cool Smashers in the PVL. For Valdez, De Guzman's comeback will boost the squad. "Even before Jia's coming, going to Japan and joining Alas, we know Jia is Jia. With all the experiences she's getting on and off the court, I think more than ever, she's gonna be one of the ates in the team," Valdez told reporters on the sidelines of the signing of the partnership agreement between Rebisco clubs and Allianz PNB Life. "I'm just really glad I've witness all these ups, wala yatang downs si Jia eh, all these ups in her career and really, we're all gonna be here. I'm always gonna be here always supporting here." Valdez also relished her upcoming reunion with fellow Atenean Be De Leon with the team. "Nakaka-feel bata. Nakaka-feel na bata pa rin kami just because we've always been together since then and who would've thought we'll be together again all these years? Reminiscing all those good and bad memories together, it's been tough, but I think we'll always get to answer the reason why we're playing: it's because of the team, the players where were with, and more reason to really actually play better in the upcoming season," she added. Creamline head coach Sherwin Meneses, meanwhile, said having De Guzman back in the team, on top of a more experienced Kyle Negrito, is a "good problem to have." "Siyempre 'yung Jia talagang nandyan na, si Kyle pinagtrabahuhan ang spot niya sa Creamline, so let's see, pero it's a good problem to have, sabi nga namin," he said. —JKC, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
17-06-2025
- Sport
- GMA Network
Jia de Guzman bares Creamline return, but stays focused on Alas Pilipinas
Jia De Guzman shared she is set to return to her mother club Creamline in the PVL after two years of plying her trade abroad with Japanese club Denso Airybees. The decorated setter revealed her plans on Tuesday, just days after helping the country win a historic silver medal in the 2025 AVC Women's Volleyball Nations Cup in Vietnam. But De Guzman stressed her focus is on Alas Pilipinas, especially with a busy year ahead for the national team. "Of course I'm going back to Creamline but I went to a team that knows that I have responsibilities also to the flag," De Guzman said during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) forum. "So right now, I'm very grateful because they're allowing me to focus entirely on Alas Pilipinas because they know I have a responsibility to the country." Alas Women are set to compete in a pair of major tournaments. They will return to Vietnam later this month for the VTV Cup before starting to gear up for the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in December in Thailand. De Guzman acknowledged the pressure to deliver results but shared they are just trusting the process of making something out of a youthful squad bannered by the likes of young guns in Angel Canino, Eya Laure, Fifi Sharma, Shaina Nitura, and Bella Belen. But De Guzman, an eight-time PVL Best Setter and back-to-back AVC Best Setter, said that that pressure only helps them to aim higher. "There's a lot of pressure to produce more results lalo na ngayon na we're reaching heights that we hadn't reached before," De Guzman said. "For us, 'yung number one talaga is to try trust the process and just keep showing up everyday to be better. But of course, yes, we will fight for that podium finish as we do every tournament naman talaga." Moving forward, De Guzman has full confidence in her teammates' ability to step up as the nation bids to break a 32-year gold medal dry spell at the SEA Games. "I have no doubts sa buong team na walang nagbibigay ng everything nila. That's the environment that we've been setting for the past years. There's no need for me to rally everyone, to try harder, to put more into their bodies, because I know everyone's giving their best." —JKC, GMA Integrated News
Time of India
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Jasjodh, Preet from Pb make it to Prime Volleyball League
Ludhiana: Two young volleyball players studying in Ludhiana, Jasjodh Singh and Preet Karan, both 22, have made it to the Prime Volleyball League (PVL) through recently held auctions. They are the only players from Punjab to be selected for the tournament. Jasjodh, a third-year student at SCD Govt College, was bought by Kochi Blue Spikers for an impressive Rs 14.75 lakh — almost three times the base price of Rs 5 lakh. His teammate and fellow college student, Preet Karan, who is in the final year, was picked by Hyderabad Black Hawks for more than Rs 5 lakh. This marks the first time either of the players has been selected for the PVL, making it a milestone moment in their budding careers. Both players said they were excited and honoured to be part of the Prime Volleyball League. "It's a big opportunity for us. The league is becoming more popular with every season, and we are thrilled to be a part of it," said Jasjodh. They also thanked their coaches, Gurjot Singh and Sunil Kumar. Jasjodh, who hails from Jaura village in Jalandhar, has already represented India on international platforms. He was part of the World University Games held in China and has also played in tournaments in Malaysia and Australia. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Indian Truck Driver Now Earns ₹2.9 Crore Monthly (See how) prestigetrophy Learn More Undo At the national level, he has won multiple medals in competitions, including the Khelo India University Games and other youth championships. Preet, who is from Balachaur, has also shown consistent growth. Both players started training under coach Gurjot after enrolling at SCD Govt College. Over the past two years, they've trained rigorously and participated in several state and national tournaments, which helped them attract attention for the league. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
