The ever-explosive Sisi Rondina reflects on her growth after answering the call of both the Choco Mucho Flying Titans and Alas Pilipinas in 2024.
Twenty-twenty-four will go down as a highly productive year in Sisi Rondina’s first full year back on the indoor volleyball scene.
Rondina will enter 2025 coming off a jampacked 2024 slate, which started with leading the Choco Mucho Flying Titans to a second-straight silver medal finish in the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference last May against the Creamline Cool Smashers.
The Cebuana would be named part of Alas Pilipinas later in May, which culminated in breakthrough bronze medals at the AVC Challenge Cup that month, and the SEA V.League last August in Vietnam and Thailand.
But more than answering the calls of duty, this experience also gave the 28-year-old a wider perspective on the act of commitment.
“I think it’s how you commit yourself sa mga trabahong mayroon ka,” Rondina told The GAME after Choco Mucho’s five-set win over the Farm Fresh Foxies on Thursday. “Paano mo sinu-submit talaga ‘yung sarili mo and paano mo mama-manage ‘yung consequences.”
Rondina’s hectic stretch wasn’t exactly scot-free, as she admitted playing through fatigued knees caused by the continuous flow of high-level games. Not to mention that she has also returned for the 2024-2025 All-Filipino Conference to lead the Flying Titans once more.
Instead of getting upset at her lingering health issues, the outside hitter’s newfound maturity allowed her to view things with a composed outlook.
“Ide-describe ko rin ‘yung 2024 ko na naging positive lagi. Minsan kasi dinadaan ko sa gigil or [gusto ko agad] makabalik, and I think hindi ko na din ipe-pressure ‘yung sarili ko kasi ayun, nangyari na siya and kailangan ko lang talagang mag-manage and magtiwala sa proseso ng recovery ko,” she reflected after scoring a team-high 26 points on Thursday.
Choco Mucho is in the midst of a redemption tour following a disappointing run in the 2024 Reinforced Conference. Along with reasserting their status as contenders, is the continued desire to win an ever-elusive PVL title.
“Syempre, para naman sa team namin, mangangarap at mangangarap pa rin kami sa gusto naming mangyari sa team namin. Tatrabahuhin namin and lalaban kami hangga’t nasa Choco Mucho kami,” Rondina said.
With a full year of competition coming to a close, Sisi Rondina now turns her attention to another long grind ahead for 2025 with Choco Mucho and Alas Pilipinas.
As early as now, the Cebuana knows that her goal remains unchanged, with 2025 being a matter of giving it her all as another year of high-level volleyball competition approaches.
“Ayun, same [New Years’] resolution pa din. ‘Yung Sisi Rondina pa rin ng dati na kung paano siya magtrabaho, paano siya mag-mindset,” the Compostela, Cebu native said.
“And syempre, [sana] mas marami pa akong matulungan and ma-inspire na young ones lalong lalo na sa world ng volleyball,” said Rondina one of the Philippines’ most explosive spikers despite her 5-foot-6 stature.
Banner image courtesy of the Premier Volleyball League.