Our previous cover stories unraveled two sides of our April 2018 #CalyxtaGirl—what she was like growing up in Batangas, and her girly-girl side where she talked about all things makeup and skin care. Coming from the same alma mater, I couldn’t let our interview end without asking her what life was like in Ateneo de Manila—from her favorite hangout spot, to what she always ordered in the school cafeteria, to how it was playing under Coach Tai Bundit (coach of Ateneo de Manila’s Women’s Volleyball Team).
Read more about the Queen Eagle, and what Heart Strong (a popular term coined by Coach Tai) means to her even after graduating!
What’s your favorite hangout spot in Ateneo?
Well, sad to say, it’s the Blue Eagle Gym. (laughs) Just kidding! Well, (Church of) Gesu. Gesu talaga. Even if I’m alone, I spend time there. Even just 30 minutes. It’s so quiet and nice.
What made you decide to take up AB Psychology?
In UST, my choices back then were Engineering and Psychology. Super opposite. I didn’t have a solid choice that I really liked, but then when I was a kid, I wanted to be a lawyer. So I took up Psychology, because it can go both ways. Even if I end up not taking law, it’s still a good course. And it’s broad eh, so it’s nice.
What was the one thing that you always ordered from the cafeteria or JSEC?
In JSEC, there’s this chicken. Shucks, I forgot. I haven’t gone there in so long. But there’s this chicken don that’s kind of like chicken pops? It comes with rice, siomai, and everything so it’s a complete set. It’s the place with the milk tea! In the cafeteria, Ala Pobre and Sweet and Sour Pork.
What was it like to be at the center of the Ateneo-La Salle rivalry?
Super classic. Of course, when I was in UST, I didn’t get the rivalry. But after how many years in Ateneo, if you can’t accept it, you can’t really—not naman perform well, but it’s the pressure that’s different. So if you accept it, that there’s a rivalry, the pressure will motivate you to do well in games. I think acceptance is really one of the keys to contribute to the team. I even said to myself before, “Huh? Bakit naman sila magagalit sa isa’t isa? It’s just a school!” But when you’re there already, you’ll understand. It gets intense.
How do you motivate yourself and your team during intense or crucial games?
I don’t usually do pep talks. You’ll understand it if you see how accustomed we are to Coach Tai, who doesn’t need to talk because when he looks at you, you get him already. (laughs) Ganon. It’s like reading between the lines. (laughs) I think more than saying what you want to happen, you really have to do it yourself first so that they see. If you’re doing it, for sure they’re going to follow. And I’m lucky because during my time, most of the players were my batchmates. Either my batchmates or lower who were rookies, so it was a nice combination. We don’t really talk, but I think one of the things that I really liked was that our personalities were balanced, and it helped us perform the best that we could—individually and as a team. So I was lucky during that time I was a Team Captain.
Outside of volleyball, what did you guys like doing together?
Shucks—either eat or sleep. We liked going to buffets or we would sleep. That’s what we do. We try to study but natutulugan lang namin siya, so ayon. (laughs) We eat, we watch movies, we sleep—that’s what we usually do as a team.
What was it like playing under Coach Tai who didn’t speak much English?
It’s nice. Well, for me, there’s a downside but there’s also a good side. He gives you the opportunity to do things and strategize on your own. If you fail, you’re really going to learn. But if it’s the right move, then you grow even more as a player. I think we took it as that. That’s why for us, we really had to grow as a player and understand him as a coach because if not, nothing was going to happen. So during training, he was really hard and rigorous. But during the games, he makes it a point for us to feel that he trusts us—so in that way, as a player, isn’t that what you want to feel from your coach? The language barrier was hard, but we took it as a challenge and it worked well. I mean—we really didn’t realize that it would work, but it helped us grow as players, and as individuals. We took risks even though we couldn’t understand. We’d sometimes make our own play. (laughs) And yeah, like I said, it’s really so nice to have teammates like my former teammates who help you.
Last question for this week—what does ‘Heart Strong’ mean to you now after Ateneo?
Heart strong, well, I think it will never change naman for me. Heart strong—it’s really just not giving up until it’s done. And I think we can do anything if we really believe, and we really trust the people around us.
Cover Story By: GRETCHEN GATAN
Art Direction: MARGAUX CORTEZ
Editorial Assistant: MAAN FERNANDEZ
Videographer: RICHARD WEBB
Photographer: CHARISMA LICO
Hair & Makeup: JEFF DE GUZMAN AND GRACE SALVADOR FOR #TEAMMURIELVEGAPEREZ
Stylist: REY ILAGAN, POY VILLAMONTE AND YZZA HABLADO
Special Thanks to: The 3rd Fitness Lab
