Francis Phillip Saura is a professional volleyball player and a national pool member of the Philippine team who notched a historic silver medal win in the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. 

His volleyball journey started in interschool athletic competitions at Thompson Christian School of Davao City and played in Palarong Pambansa eventually.

His University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) career started in 2013 as a middle blocker for the National University Men’s Volleyball Team and represented the country in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) University games in 2018 held in Myanmar, and won the championship title against the ASEAN volleyball powerhouse—Thailand.

“Dati pangarap ko lang maglaro sa Palarong Pambansa, at nung nakapaglaro na ako (Palarong Pambansa), pinangarap ko namang makatungtong ng UAAP, hanggang sa maging miyembro ng National Team sa Southeast Asian Games. Kumbaga bawat stage na naabot ko nag-eestablish ulit ako ng panibagong goal.” 

Francis’ noticeable height and skills catapulted him to the table selections of athletes for outside-university tournaments, and was selected to play professionally in 2016 for the Mega Builders Volley Bolts as an opposite hitter and then became the team’s captain in 2017. In 2018, he became the team captain and middle blocker of Sta. Elena Ball Hammers. He also received the Best Middle Blocker award for two consecutive conferences (2016/17 and 2018/19) in the Philippine Open Conference. 

After finishing his bachelor’s degree in Financial Management in 2018, he pursued his official volleyball career in the Philippine Air force Jet Spikers at the 2019 Spiker’s Turf Conference. 

In 2021, they competed with Asian-neighboring countries in the Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship; and last year, the 6’4 middle blocker was shortlisted, again, as one of the national pool members for the 31st Hanoi SEA Games held in Hanoi, Vietnam last May 2022.

Francis Saura—our Nationalian Pride made a historic silver medal win with other members of the Philippine National Team in the 2019 SEA Games. He believes that his good and bad experiences helped and prepared him for wherever he is right now as a professional athlete. The 26-year-old Davaoeño already brought pride, not just to his alma mater, but also to his country. He looks forward to spiking his way out of his comfort zone to trek new heights in the corporate industry.