The hard work has paid off.
Jaja Santiago is about to embark on a new chapter in her volleyball journey. After spending five years with the Saitama Ageo Medics, the 27-year-old middle blocker decided to sign with a different team as she continues her career in the Japan V.League over in Japan. When the new season starts, the NU Lady Bulldogs product will be suiting up for JT Marvelous.
Among her responsibilities with her new pro squad is to do promos designed to engage more fan interaction. On Monday night, JT posted on its Instagram a video of Santiago sending a message to the supporters of the team. What’s the big deal? You might ask. Well, she did it by speaking in Japanese quite fluently. Actually, it was good enough to draw applause inside the room.
What Jaja practically did was introduce herself to the JT’s fanbase and invite the people to keep on supporting the team. She also did an English version of the spiel for volleyball fans outside of Japan.
“Hi, everyone, I’m Jaja Santiago. This season, I’ll be playing for JT Marvelous. Please come and support us in our games. Thank you,” the Filipino volleyball star said.
Santiago’s social media followers, however, wouldn’t have been surprised by her ability to express herself using Japan’s vernacular. In her previous IG posts, the 6-foot-5=4 blocker shared how hard she’s been trying to learn the language.
When the V.League games begin, Jaja’s communication and volleyball skills will be tested as the team looks to improve on its previous campaign and finish in the Top 4 for a chance to win the championship.