NCAA and UAAP teams have been invited to compete in the upcoming Shakey's Super League (SSL) 2022 Collegiate Preseason Women's Volleyball Championship, organizers announced on Monday.
The 2022 Collegiate Preseason tournament marks the return of Shakey's to the local volleyball scene, after serving as the title sponsor of the pioneering Shakey's V-League since 2004.
All teams of the NCAA, led by Season 97 champion De La Salle-College of St. Benilde and runner-up Arellano University, as well as UAAP Season 84 champion National University and runner-up De La Salle University, have been invited to take part.
"The launching of the SSL… is a reaffirmation of Shakey's authentic commitment to grassroots and collegiate volleyball," said Vicente Gregorio, president of Shakey's Pizza Asia Ventures Inc. (SPAVI) in a statement.
"It was unfortunate that Shakey's was forced to temporarily take a leave from the sport, which by then had become synonymous with Shakey's," he added. "But now, we are back and with added vigor."
"We plan to organize a truly national invitational championship that will be rooted among the colleges and students in the 18 regions, 81 provinces and 145 cities all over the Philippines," he added.
The Shakey's Super League is being launched in cooperation with the Athletic Events and Sports Management Group, Inc., headed by its chief executive Philip Ella Juico and president Ian Laurel.
Both officials emphasized that their groups are focused on primary, secondary, collegiate, and student volleyball, and that they will cooperate fully with the Commission on Higher Education to observe the proper protocols.
They also stressed an intent to "zealously guard the amateur status of student-athletes and guard them from the distractions of over-commercialization."
