Alyssa Valdez (seated, 4th from right) poses with young volleyball players after the PLDT Home Ultera-Alyssa Valdez Skills Camp yesterday at the Southwestern University Coliseum. (CDN PHOTO/ JOHN CARLO VILLARUEL)
Over a hundred aspiring volleyball players got a rare treat as they were able to meet and be taught by their idols in the PLDT Home Ultera-Alyssa Valdez Skills Camp yesterday at the Southwestern University (SWU) Coliseum.
Among those who got a one-on-one training session with Alyssa Valdez was 16-year-old Princess Reidonne Taberos.
“I was really nervous because Ate Alyssa approached me. I didn’t know what to do. She told me to not absorb the ball and just bend my knees,” said Taberos, who is aspiring to bring her volleyball game to a higher level.
“I have played in some leagues na. Maybe soon sa CESAFI na,” said Taberos, a high school student at SWU.
In an exclusive interview, the three-time UAAP Most Valuable Player Valdez said most of the campers were quick to grasp their instructions.
“They are fast learners talaga. Ang bilis nilang maka-pick-up ng sinasabi namin and they’re really into and passionate about the game and I think that’s really most the important thing kung magiging athlete ka,” Valdez said.
The 23-year-old Valdez believes that there are some talents from around the country waiting to be discovered.
“In any other cities naman, marami ang nakatagong talents and skills talaga but you know I think one thing na kailangan din talaga nila is yung mga tao na makakakita sa kanila. That’s why we are reaching out to them para makita sila ng recruiters at makapaglaro sa Manila.”
Valdez also gave a piece of advice to aspiring volleyball players on how to succeed in the sport.
“I started also from scratch. We’ll never know what will happen naman talaga. Just give your 101 percent, your full effort and your heart into what you’re doing and we really have to appreciate the little things in life para makita natin ang bigger picture in the end,” she said.