#PhenomOut Flight of the Queen Eagle
FiveUniversity Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Women’s Volleyball finals appearances, four consecutive Best Scorer awards, three straight Season MVP awards, two collegiate championships, one last shot. And just like that, a great era in collegiate volleyball is now over.
Agonizingly so for the phenom, her swan song did not end the way she — and thousands of her fans — would have wanted, but for the player considered as the best among the convocation, everything was all worth it.
Alyssa Valdez will spread her wings, reach new heights, but she bids her second home for six years — the Ateneo de Manila University — farewell. All the bruises and cramping legs, sprains and strains, and all sorts of pain — physical or emotional — will now have time to heal.
From being the super rookie that most commentators dubbed her to be, to the phenom that she blossomed into in her last few seasons in the UAAP, Valdez has soared great heights nobody has ever reached. But just like every fairy tale, her Cinderella story must come to an end.
Humble beginnings
Born and raised in a farm in San Juan, Batangas, Valdez lived and grew accustomed to a simple life. Growing up as the only girl in a brood of four, Valdez was introduced to the volleyball world through her brothers’ efforts at the age of 10.
In time, the young and hardworking Alyssa developed her skills and was chosen to represent her school in regional competitions where then-University of Sto. Tomas High School coach Francis Vicente discovered Valdez’ talent and made her an offer that would change her life tremendously.
Despite being “skinny” as former high school opponents and eventual college teammates-slash-besties Ella de Jesus and Denden Lazaro described her in an interview, Alyssa’s sky-high vertical leap and booming spikes left their jaws hanging for a while. It was no surprise that Valdez eventually led UST High School to a three-peat in the UAAP girls’ volleyball, and took home three consecutive Most Valuable Player awards — a feat that she eventually matched in the seniors’ division.
Cinderella story
After watching from the sidelines for
a year while serving her residency in the collegiate levels, Valdez finally donned Ateneo’s UAAP jersey in Season 74, taking jersey no. 2 from former Lady Eagle Averil Paje. Often compared to then-rookie Ara Galang of fierce rival team De La Salle Lady Spikers, Valdez made sure to make a name of her own.
In her first two years under the mentorship of then-Ateneo head coach Roger Gorayeb, Valdez, alongside Jem Ferrer, Dzi Gervacio, Fille Cainglet, A Nacachi, and Gretchen Ho — collectively known as the Fab 5 — took the UAAP by storm as they entered the Season 74 finals for the very first time in their history, upsetting powerhouse University of Sto. Tomas.
The Ateneo L-train continued as they stained thrice-to-beat DLSU’s immaculate record to take Game 1 of the virtual best-of-five finals series, stopping a nine-game losing streak to the school dating back to the days of Charo Soriano. They may not have won the title that season, but Valdez still played a vital role in forcing opposing coach Ramil de Jesus to make a lot of adjustments.
No. 2 continued to shock the volleyball world as she took home her first Best Scorer award and towed her team back to the finals in Season 75, eventually bowing down again to the Lady Spikers.
As the Fab 5’s UAAP career ended, many analysts and fans believed it was the end of the Katipunan squad’s surge, especially with Coach Gorayeb deciding to leave the head coach slot open. But Valdez had other plans. With the arrival of coach Tai Bundit, Ateneo, led by now-captain Valdez, took everyone by surprise as they took down twice-to-beat National University in the Season 76 stepladder, one of the two teams that they bowed to in the eliminations, to head back to the finals for the third straight year.
The Lady Eagles shocked the world as they made an improbable Cinderella run, overcoming a thrice to-disadvantage to upset the fourpeat-bound and biggest rivals DLSU Lady Spikers to win their first-ever UAAP title in four games. Ateneo then became the first team in UAAP history to overcome such a disadvantage since the format was introduced in the league.
In dominating fashion, Valdez was hailed as the season’s Best Scorer, Best Server, Most Valuable Player, and finals’ Most Valuable Player.
In her penultimate season, Valdez and the Lady Eagles continued to surge in the UAAP as they swept the eliminations for the first time in their history and earned a thrice-to-beat advantage in the finals.
The L-train continued as they swept four-time finals rivals DLSU in the virtual best-of-five finals series to win a back-to-back title. Again, the phenom took home the Best Scorer, Best Server, and season’s Most Valuable Player awards.
Her team’s defeat in her final season may be remembered ‘til a new champion will be hailed in the UAAP, Valdez’s name will still be written in history books as the one who took the level of volleyball in the country not just a notch but way higher than it was.
Tears were shed, but for arguably the best Atenean athlete, eyes will still be dry at the last goodbye.
The long list
List down the names of some UAAP greats and you will end up writing the names of the likes of Rachel Daquis, Manilla Santos, Venus Bernal, and Aiza Maizo. Now, as she takes the exit of the UAAP volleyball arena, Valdez’s name will be hung among the legends that changed the level of the sport in the Philippines.
In her service in the UAAP a year short to a decade, Alyssa was hailed as Athlete of the Year twice: first in the UAAP Season 71 when Valdez and UST High School won the second of their three consecutive titles, and second in her final UAAP collegiate level season despite failing to match her three-peat success in high school.
The Queen Eagle will step down from the throne with her trophy case decorated with four Best Scorer, three Best Server, finals MVP of Season 76, and three season’s Most Valuable Player trophies, plus two UAAP gold medals — a resume that truly stood out among all the players who stood under the UAAP spotlight.
Jersey no. 2 didn’t just shine in the UAAP as Valdez and the Lady Eagles donned the blue, red, and white to snag the 2014 ASEAN University Games bronze medal. Out of Alyssa’s 12 overall MVP awards, she bagged five during her stints in the Shakey’s V-League — twice as a Lady Eagle, twice wearing the PLDT jersey, and once playing for UST.
During her days growling with the Tigress cubs of España, Alyssa won five Shakey’s Girls V-League Best Attacker trophies (2008-NCR, 2009-NCR, 2009-National, 2010-NCR, 2010-National), and three UAAP Juniors’ division Most Valuable Player trophies, which she won during UST’s three-peat run (Season 70-72). Long journey
Before Ateneo could barge into the recent UAAP finals, the San Juan, Batangas native, despite being dead tired from the team’s rigorous training with Coach Tai, happily entertained fans who went to the Blue Eagle Gym to watch their training and take selfies with their idol. This was weeks before her final act in the UAAP, and Valdez knew, “[For] sure, it’s gonna be a long road. Long journey pa.”
The phenom, along with her fans from all over the world, simply wouldn’t let the curtains fall on a fruitful collegiate stint. The feeling of sand slowly trickling down the
hourglass is, as the phenom said, “hard to explain”.
Like sentimental traces of one’s childhood, it’s hard to let go of something that has been a part of your life since time immemorial but for Valdez, no one can delay the inevitable.
“I really don’t want to end (my UAAP career), pero siyempre, lahat naman may katapusan,” said Valdez with her trademark squinted eyes and wide smile.
The last show
When asked what title she would give if her final UAAP season were a song, Valdez simply answered, “The Last Show.”
“I think it’s really different if you’re playing for the UAAP [and if] you’re representing your school. You can’t really explain how you feel whenever you enter the court, whenever you hear everyone cheering for the blue and the white. It’s really different,” said Valdez.
It’s a bittersweet feeling for the 22-year-old phenom to step out and bid farewell to what she claims was her ‘comfort zone’ — the Ateneo de Manila University.
“Going out of Ateneo, going out of your comfort zone, you really don’t know what to do,” the Batangas native said.
The last show won’t last, that’s for sure, but just like every athlete, Valdez wants to have sparkles while the curtains of her UAAP career close.
“It is my pride to wear the Ateneo jersey and represent this school.”
It did not end the way she wanted it. Valdez did not manage to accomplish her last mission as a Lady Eagle: that is, to win a third consecutive championship.
In a thanksgiving mass held at the Church of Gesu inside the Ateneo campus, the graduating Eagles from the men’s and women’s volleyball team were given the chance to formally bid farewell to the people who got their backs for the past five years.
As a loud round of applause welcomed Alyssa, Amy Ahomiro, and Mae Tajima on the podium, Valdez silenced the crowd with her words.
“First of all, we’re very sorry for not bringing home the crown,” Valdez opened to the surprise of everyone listening. “Who wants to lose, ‘di ba? I think no one [wants to]. I hate losing because I fear that no one will love me, no one will accept me.”
Valdez looked back on her first steps inside the Katipunan campus, telling the small crowd that back then, she felt she knew nothing except to play volleyball. Despite the culture shock, the phenom owed everything to her teammates and coaches for challenging her to rise above the odds.
“It is my pride to wear the Ateneo jersey and represent this school,” Valdez said. “Ateneo gave me a chance to share, to influence, to inspire other people by just being in Ateneo.”
It’s not always about winning or being three-time MVP, but about what you will carry once it’s time to step out of the campus gates.
“Ateneo taught me to be a woman for others. The gift that God gave me is not for me alone but to inspire and influence other people,” shared Valdez.
The national team player may be wearing the colors and name of Ateneo, but she is overwhelmed by the support of non-Ateneans who helped her and the Lady Eagles carry the cross and celebrate victories for the past five years.
“Hindi man namin kayo kilala, hindi man namin kayo kadugo, hindi man tayo related pero sumisigaw kayo during games namin, bumibili kayo ng tickets, nagbibigay kayo ng time para panoorin kami,” Valdez expressed. “Dahil dun, nagkakaroon kami
ng motivation to train hard, to play hard not only for ourselves.”
As the day came to a close, before stepping down from the podium and stepping down the throne, Valdez flashed her usual dimpled smile and uttered the words that marked the end of her UAAP career and her days donning the Blue and White:
“Phenom out!”
Jersey no. 2 may be passed from one generation to another but only one thing is for sure: there can never ever be another Alyssa Valdez.