Sergio Veloso is looking to resume his key role in Philippine volleyball, this time as the newly-appointed grassroots program director.

The 54-year-old Brazilian mentor is shifting his focus from the national team to the younger U18 squad including setting out to discover potential high school talents outside of Metro Manila through volleyball clinics.

Veloso was previously tasked to lead the Nationals ahead of the 2023 Southeast Asian Games until their last stint together in the AVC Challenge Cup for Men in Bahrain last month.

After a short-lived stint at the helm, Veloso was reported to be replaced by two-time Olympic coach Angiolino Frigoni.

First on his agenda is to meet up with the Philippine Volleyball Federation (PNVF) and International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) to map out their long-term plans for Philippine volleyball.

“[We’re not only heading to Cebu for the Palarong Pambansa], but I think we can go [and visit] one at a time all the provinces and [discover] new players,” Veloso said.

“We’re going to [put up] clinics because this is important. Not only the players, but think about how we can upgrade our techniques and physical [strength]. These [international] players are so strong, so we can [focus] on our mentality about physical training,” he added.

“Not only our plans [are directed towards] the national team, we need to try to [prioritize] about the younger teams.”

As soon as he was given the opportunity last year, Veloso was quick to point out the obvious lack of solid volleyball foundation among young players aspiring to someday don the national colors.

“This is part of the target of the program, and the development of Philippine volleyball and the FIVB. When I started last year, I was pushing them [and saying] you need to start now with the young players, young teams. It’s a process since this will be a long-term project.”

Palarong Pambansa, which will be hosted by Cebu next month, has been a breeding ground for exceptionally talented volleyball players in the country, something that Veloso shouldn't miss out on.