WHAT motivates Cebuana volleyball superstar Gretchel Soltones to do the incredible things that she does inside the volleyball floor? Is the money that comes with playing with commercial squad PLDT Home Ultera in the Shakey’s V-League? Is it the fame that comes with being named as the NCAA’s Most Valuable Player?
The answer is far more meaningful than any of the mentioned above, for nothing inspires Soltones to achieve excellence more than her father, Marvin.
“I keep Papa posted on everything happening in my volleyball career,” the 20-year old said. “His first question is always if my upcoming games will be telecast, so I also supply him with the schedule of all my televised games. If I have one coming up, he’d relay the schedule to our neighbors and relatives and enjoin them to watch me on TV.”
But where did this deep bond come from? You see, the hard-hitting power spiker of San Sebastian was raised alone by his father who tried his best to make ends meet by having two jobs – one as a fisherman and the other as security guard for a telecommunications company over at the fishing town of Catmon.
Soltones said that it was a huge leap of faith to leave her father and her hometown at the age of 16 to try her luck in Manila after a successful high school career at the Pajo National High School under the mentorship of Fr. Rolando T. Manayon. Clearly, the move has paid off as aside from eventually winning MVP honors in the
NCAA, Soltones has gone on to represent the country in the Asian Under-23 Women’s Volleyball Championship and the Southeast Asian Games in Singapore.
Her salary while playing for PLDT has also come a long way towards helping her father. “I don’t need much for myself. I’m used to having less in life most especially when I was growing up. What I have in abundance is my father’s love for me,” said Soltones.