“I will always be proud of how we were raised to be respectful and close to God. We may not have an abundance of luxury, but our family has richness in love. Despite our situation, it did not stop me from pursuing my dreams in life.
“We had a difficult life, but our parents did everything possible to get us to school and pursue a degree. I was also not expecting that I would be introduced to volleyball or that God would give this talent that brought my dreams to life.
“Where I am now in my volleyball career was not even how I imagined it to be. I doubted myself because I knew that I did not have the height and the skills. It all changed when I met coaches Emil Lontoc and Paul Jan Doloiras, who offered me a scholarship to play for the University of Santo Tomas.
“I felt anxious to face a totally different life in Manila and leave my family behind. It came to a point that I had a hard time juggling my studies and volleyball, but I knew I had to discipline myself, brave through all the challenges I would face and listen to all my coaches’ advice. I must admit that success got to me at one point, but I am grateful for my coaches who brought my feet back to the ground. I learned from my mistakes and worked hard to be the best version of myself.
“I can not help but be overwhelmed as I look back at all the feats that I have achieved as a player. All I can do is to sit down and thank God for helping me give so much to my university, my family and everyone who has been there along the way, even those who doubted me.
Source: Volley - fivb.org
