Out of all her championships and individual awards, these are two of Alyssa Valdez’s top memories as an athlete.
When you think of Philippine volleyball, you think of Alyssa Valdez. Until now, it feels like there is no stopping the phenom, just like it felt years ago when she was breaking barriers as a volleyball player.
She dominated the UAAP during her stint as an Ateneo Lady Eagle, reaching the finals of the women’s volleyball tournament in five straight seasons and winning back-to-back championships in Seasons 76 and 77. On top of this, she also won the Most Valuable Player, Best Scorer, and Best Server awards multiple times over.
Of course, the titles did not stop there. She would continue to win titles in the Shakey’s V-League and the Premier Volleyball League. In fact, out of the Creamline Cool Smasher’s 10 PVL titles, nine were won with Alyssa Valdez, and even in the conferences wherein she was forced to sit out due to her recent injury, she still contributed to the team greatly from the sidelines.
So, when Alyssa is asked to name some of her core memories as an athlete, she definitely has a looong list to choose from.
But when she was asked this while sitting in a panel discussion at EJ Obiena’s recent meet-and-greet event, the High Flying Hangout, we were surprised by one of her responses.
Alyssa Valdez reveals her core memories
Firstly, she named her stint at the 2015 Southeast Asian Games, where she was named as the Philippines’ flagbearer at the Parade of Nations. “It was really one of the things na masasabi ko na I really represented our country, and you cannot explain how happy, how excited we were back then talaga when we were playing for our country. Ibang talaga ‘yung binibigay namin puso and dedication and commitment for the country,” she shared.
But going back a little further in her career highlights, she had a second core memory to name, which may surprise even her biggest fans.
“Aside from [the 2015 SEA Games], one of the most unforgettable memories of mine in volleyball would be my last playing year in the UAAP.”
If you take a moment to recall Alyssa’s final playing year in the UAAP, you might remember that she led the Ateneo Lady Eagles to the finals yet again, and as the defending champions, she was searching for her third-straight championship. What’s more, they were facing their rivals, the DLSU Lady Archers.
After a thrilling series that went all the way to Game 3, the Lady Archers dethroned the Lady Eagles.
Of course, this was a major disappointment for Alyssa and her teammates. But even so, this remains one of her core memories as an athlete.
“We might [have] lost that game, but I think that was when most Filipinos actually loved the sport. It was heartbreaking for me, definitely, it was my last playing year in the UAAP and everyone would want to leave their school as a champion, but unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make it happen. But I guess it was technically my turning point also.”
Having this as one of the core memories from her career speaks volumes of Alyssa Valdez’s character as an athlete, which she still displays to this day.
Speaking in front of Filipino sports fans at the High Flying Hangout, she continued to open up about some of the most challenging parts of being an athlete, and in her case, this would definitely have to be the recent injury that has kept her off the court for quite some time. In fact, while her PVL team, the Creamline Cool Smashers went on to win a historic Grand Slam, she had to take a backseat and support her team from the sidelines.
“I’m so proud of my girls. Who doesn’t want to play in the finals or get the Grand Slam and be part of that team?” she told the fans in attendance at the event.
“But I guess my role right now is to be an ate on the sidelines and trying to see volleyball from a different perspective and actually try to use my experience and my knowledge and impart it to all of my teammates. But I mean, on our team, no one really gets left behind kasi so I feel like I contributed in my own way as well, but with my injury, I’ve been dealing with my injury for almost a year, more than a year right now, and mas madami ‘yung lows kaysa sa highs.
“It’s not easy. As an athlete, one of our greatest fears, aside from retiring, is really getting injured. And most especially if you get injured at your peak, it’s actually a different story. Lots of frustrations. I’m alongside great athletes trying to support me and that’s one thing that I would say is one of the best things [about] sports.”
Just like when she lost her final game on her final UAAP playing year all those years ago, Alyssa still manages to find the good in challenging times.
Banner image by Excel Panlaque.