The former Lady Spikers is starting a new journey.
After wearing green during her college days, Jolina Dela Cruz is set to don the color yellow moving forward as a professional volleyball player with the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers.
That journey starts today as the Cargo Movers open the PVL Invitational Conference against newcomers Farm Fresh Foxies.
Before the much-awaited comeback of the league, and Jolina's debut as a pro player, the former De La Salle Lady Spiker couldn't help but reminisce about her life leading to this moment.
"I wasn’t always a volleyball girl. I was just this rough, careless, and kinda boyish kid, climbing trees and playing with friends in our backyard, as well as occasionally getting my parents called in school," the 23 years old fondly recalled.
"But someway, somehow, volleyball found its way [into] my life and I instantly fell in love with it. A dream blossomed in my heart, and that’s when this roller coaster ride started."
Then, Dela Cruz started looking back at her days in Taft under the tutelage of legendary coach Ramil de Jesus.
"Playing for a very historic team, much more a legendary coach was never easy. The endless tiring training, the breakdowns, and the mental struggles. I’ve learned to sacrifice my own wants and to trust the system. The very same system that brought 12 championships to DLSU!"
Dela Cruz was a highly-touted recruit coming into college, but the championship remained elusive for the former Lady Spiker. But that title drought ended right before she left college.
"From being a rookie to suddenly being one of the ates. From finishing 3rd and 2nd, to hearing and seeing negative and sometimes hurtful comments, and to finally winning and bringing back the championship to Taft. It was definitely a struggle, but the journey was worth it," she said.
"No words can ever express how happy I was in helping DLSU get a championship in my last year."
More than the championship, Dela Cruz knows there's more to volleyball than winning.
"What I will cherish the most was the memories I made with this batch; the team bondings, kulitans, iyakans, kalokohans, and ultimately how close we became as sisters on and off the court. This batch truly made an impact on my life and I will forever treasure all the things we went through. I will always be proud to be your ate," she said.
"I can only hope that in my next life, I will be able to finish my playing years, and if given the chance to choose, I will still choose this very same batch to play with."
As she finally closes another chapter to turn the page in her career, Dela Cruz has nothing but praise and gratitude to all those who helped her reach this point.
Finally, thank you so much to everyone who stayed and believed in me. To my family and friends that supported me through my ups and downs. To our coaches, managers, and of course to the DLSU community who never doubted us, maraming, maraming salamat sa inyo!