Former DLSU Lady Spiker Alleiah Malaluan talks about how she dealt with negativity as an athlete.
From the pressure of restoring her lethal form to the increasing expectations placed upon her, Alleiah Malaluan dealt with a number of silent battles throughout her time with the DLSU Lady Spikers in the UAAP.
In fact, she was the first to acknowledge how her four years in Taft Avenue was a roller coaster ride of highs and lows with the Green and White, especially after her promising rookie year in UAAP Season 84.
“Kasi going back to my rookie year, I’m just really playing,” Alleiah told The GAME in a recent exclusive interview. “Second, third, and fourth year, doon onti-onti na nagkaka-pressure, kasi may mga expectations coming from people, so that’s how my Lady Spikers journey has been.”
“Pero, despite that, I was able to conquer it because showing up is a big win for me, and I was able to, like, play for La Salle for four years.”
However, Alleiah Malaluan’s silent battles went beyond the pressure of remaining impactful on the Tafaflex, as she also had to deal with online criticisms throughout her time as a Lady Spiker.
Chances are, anyone who follows the UAAP on social media may have seen numerous comments that questioned her play, along with the continued trust given to her by the coaching staff as part of the starting six.
If anything, this is why during the Archers Stance at the end of UAAP Season 87, feeling the love from the DLSU community at the SM Mall of Asia Arena meant the world for Alleiah. For everything she’s been through, there was always her teammates and members of the fanbase that continued to cheer on her from the sidelines.
“Actually, I’m really thankful, kasi I played for the Green and White for almost 15 years na! So ang tagal ko na, from Lipa, then Zobel, then now here at DLSU, so parang the loyalty is there talaga,” Malaluan recalled.
An audible gasp was heard from the DLSU side of the MOA Arena when Alleiah joined her fellow seniors for the Archers Stance, while the Lady Spikers were visibly emotional upon seeing “Ate Leiah” signal an end to her time with the Green and White.
“Siguro nagulat lang sila in a way, pero I’m really thankful na I still have supporters kahit na ayun [she has been repeatedly criticized online]. So I’m really thankful and I’m really excited about what’s ahead for me.”
Healthy release
But how exactly did Alleiah deal with those toxic criticisms online?
If she’s being honest, the pride of Lipa, Batangas didn’t necessarily pay attention to her bashers. But at the same time, however, she admits that the toxicity started getting into her head at some point.
“Kasi parang alam mo ‘yun? Parang kahit hindi ko naman nakikita, pero I feel it eh, I have the sense eh [na people are talking about her], parang malakas ‘yung feeling ko,” she reflected.
Along with turning to her support system, it was through this negativity that Alleiah decided to try out journaling, a method that helps her express her thoughts, along with managing any feelings of stress and anxiety.
According to Alleiah, she adopted the method during Round 2 of the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Tournament, where she recalls that the negativity surrounding her was at its worst.
“What I did was resort to journaling, I talk with other people, like consultations ba? Parang mas ma-enlighten ako, mas hindi bumaba ‘yung morale ko, ‘yung confidence ko, because that is something that you need if you’re a player,” she says.
On top of helping her navigate through the toxic side of the UAAP fanbase, journaling also helped Alleiah combat the self-induced pressure she places on herself, including times where she would be too hard on herself for performing below her standards.
“If you’re confident sa sarili mo and you’re motivated to play, dun talaga lalabas ‘yung performance mo, and with that, I feel like journaling helped me a lot, kasi I just write my thoughts, whatever it is, in my book,” Alleiah explains.
Now that she’s part of the 2025 PVL Rookie Draft class, the method has become part of Alleiah Malaluan’s daily routines, which will no doubt help her as she enters a new beginning in the professional scene.
“Up until now I still do it, kasi you know? It’s a good practice. At first kasi hindi naman ako nag-journal, so when I did that, parang mas nale-less ‘yung mga iniisip ko, kasi nga I’m an overthinker sometimes,” she admits.
“So when I did journaling, you know? Release mo lang ‘yung thoughts mo, whatever you’re thinking. Parang ang gaan lang sa feeling kasi you were able to write it down, and you were able to release it in such a way.”
Banner images courtesy of the UAAP Media Bureau, Cas Aseoche.