Vanie Gandler of the Cignal HD Spikers gamely answered fan questions during Reddit's Ask Me Anything (AMA) on r/SportsPH.
She gushed about her stint with Alas Pilipinas and playing with Jia de Guzman, while sharing how she stays chill when off the court.
Vanie also shared more of her thoughts during the Facebook Live.
Here are some of her answers.
Ask Me Anything: Vanie Gandler of Cignal HD Spikers
byu/OneSportsPHL inSportsPH
How’s the Alas experience?, and how does it feel to play with Jia and the other amazing athletes?
Amazing
"The Alas experience was very fun and such a blessing for me because of the teammates I got to play with. I learned so much from I would say the best of the best in this country," she said. "They taught me so much and I got to observe why they're in the national team."
She was especially excited to play with Jia de Guzman, having missed out on playing with her in Ateneo.
"Playing with Ate Jia, it's a dream come true," Gandler laughed."It's really what you ever imagined it to be. Ate Jia is such a great ate, knows how to lead the team and make you a better player."
Hi Vanie! We all know you as a superbly reliable outside hitter, but have you ever considered or even just imagined playing a different position?
Opposite
"Probably oppposite especially last conference, Ate Ces and Amiga were open," Vanie shared on Facebook Live. "They asked me if I want to try but my preparation time was too little."
Do you watch Haikyuu or any media regarding volleyball. Do those affect how you approach the game?
Yes, I love to watch highlights of the best players and also podcasts of the great athletes around the world
"Haikyuu when I was in high school. But now I do always watch highlights of like the best of the best in the world like Sarina Koga, just so I learn more from them, learn how they react to situations in a game," Vanie shared.
"I also like watching podcasts of the great athletes. You learn a lot, learning how they deal with such high pressure moments."
Hi Vanie! Sinong bff mo sa CHD Spikers? :)
Jackie cause she's my batchmate :)
Hi bunny! Was it hard adjusting to Coach Shaq’s system?
No, because they were very helpful and they really guided me well :)
Which part of your game you really want to improve?
Blocking and receiving :)
Vanie may be fierce on the court, but she's pretty chill off the taraflex.
Favorite recovery meal?
And sayote or papaya sa tinola?
Rice bowl - beef kebab with rice
"After games, I love getting a rice meal. So anythng that has carbs, protein, and vegetables," Vanie shared. "Personally, I like going to Behrouz, it's a Persian restaurant because I like their beef kebab with rice and tomatoes."
Who do you listen to during pre-game to get you hyped up/ready to play?
I like listening to jazz music when I wake up to calm down
"Pre-game songs, it honestly depends on my mood," Gandler said. "But when I wake up in the morning, I like listening to jazz music because it helps me calm down."
Hi Vanie! What's your skin care? You look so pretty!
I'm a proud Belo baby :)
"Actually guys, this is Belo. So thank you to Dra. Belo, because my skin has cleared up."
Are you in a relationship, Vanie????
no
"No I'm not," Vanie answered, chuckling.
Hi Vanie! How do you usually spend your free time? BTW your cat is so cuteee! 🫶🏻
Thank you hehe, I love spending my free time at home with my cat while watching shows or movies
"He is so cute," Vanie gushed about her cat, Charlie. "I usually spend my free time with at home with my cat, watching Netflix."
"After practice, my body really needs to recover. I have to wake up 5 a.m. next day and I really have to help my body."
If you could play any sport that wasn't volleyball what would it be
Football :)
And finally, a really important question.
Hello Vanie, what’s your fave number sa electric fan?
2
"I like number 2, kasi number 1 is too weak and number 3 is too strong," she replied.
Totally makes sense.