An original Flying Titan, Kat Tolentino remains steadfast in her goals of seeing Choco Mucho break through and win a PVL championship.
Many have come and gone for the Choco Mucho Flying Titans—but still there is Kat Tolentino.
Despite seeing some of her closest teammates go in another direction, the 29-year-old opposite hitter continues with her aspirations of bringing home a PVL title for the Flying Titans.
Tolentino has indeed gone through all the ups and downs with Choco Mucho, and the last original Flying Titan is hoping that the stars will finally soon align for the team’s first-ever PVL championship.
In another edition of Off the Record, Tolentino opens up about her bond with Maddie Madayag and Bea De Leon, her fellow Choco Mucho originals from Ateneo, and why she continues to stay for the Flying Titans throughout all these years.
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One Sports: What are your thoughts on Maddie going to Japan? You guys have been together since your college days. What can you say about her going pro over in a new country?
Kat: I'm very excited for her. I know Japan has such a different level of volleyball and she's gonna learn a lot. It's very good for her career and I know she'll grow from it and become a lot stronger when she comes back here, so I only hope for the best for her and I hope that she stays healthy and safe always.
One Sports: You, Bea, and Maddie have always been together, sort of like the Ateneo trio. Now you've gone your separate ways. How strong is that bond now that you three are playing for different teams?
Kat: I think with anyone in the Ateneo team, not just the three of us, we've really stayed together or we really supported each other from afar. We can't necessarily play with each other for the rest of our volleyball careers. I knew that going into pro, but at the same time, we still cheer for one another, we still hope for the best.
I know Bea is doing well in Creamline and I'm happy for her. Same with Maddie, I'm glad that she's able to grow, but at the end of the day, we still cheer for each other and I know that even if we're not on the same team [and] we're playing directly, we'll still have that support no matter what.
(Kat Tolentino is the last original Flying Titan remaining from Choco Mucho's first-ever PVL team)
One Sports: What makes you still want to compete and try to get that championship for Choco Mucho?
Kat: The goal has never really changed no matter how much Choco Mucho has changed. I've been here since the beginning and I've seen so many players come and go on the team. But for me, I think Choco Mucho has carried that character and whoever comes on to the team has shown that Titan Pride.
I know that we can really win the championship and I don't want to just give up just because people leave. At the same time, I still want to get that win for Choco Mucho and for the people who are on the team now.
(With Bea de Leon now a Cool Smasher and Maddie Madayag taking her talents to Japan, Kat Tolentino is the last original Flying Titan)
One Sports: How sweet will Choco Mucho's first championship be for you, especially being one of the OGs on the team?
Kat: I think it'll be such a great success story because Choco Mucho has made the Finals a couple of times but we've always just fell a bit short so as you can see, we are slowly getting there and I know it's gonna happen and it'll happen soon as long as we continue working hard and being patient with whatever God has plan for this team.