When the going got tough, Jolina Dela Cruz had Ralph Cu to count on as she worked her way back from injury, finally seeing action again in the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
For athletes, returning from a major injury is two battles in one — physical and mental, and for Farm Fresh’s Jolina Dela Cruz, it was no different.
As much as she needed to recover her health and body, she also needed to toughen up her spirit during the time she spent away from volleyball, which lasted for more than a year before she returned to the taraflex last Jan. 18 against the Nxled Chameleons.
But through all of it, Jolina's partner Ralph Cu stood by her, and, as an athlete himself, was able to provide the unique perspective where he also understood what Dela Cruz was going through.
Feeling his support throughout the journey made it a little more easier for the former DLSU standout, who admitted that it was hard to be away from the sport that she loved — especially as Dela Cruz was stuck as a spectator on the sidelines for so long.
“Super thankful ko sa kanya kasi parang all throughout my recovery journey nandoon siya palagi. Always reminding me kung ano yung pwedeng gawin. Syempre, athlete din siya. Alam niya yung feeling,” said Dela Cruz.
“Hindi man siya yung na-injure pero alam niya yung feeling na as an athlete, alam niya yung nararamdaman namin. Alam niya na nami-miss ko rin yung volleyball, nandoon naman siya continuous naman yung support niya sakin,” she added.
Cu was present during her return, where she uncorked a team-best 20 points that earned her Player of the Game honors in just her first time back.
[RELATED: PVL: Patience pays off for Farm Fresh’s Jolina Dela Cruz in winning return from injury]
Seeing her back in her lethal form already, Cu beamed with pride after seeing her deal with everything that she did in her journey back.
“I’m very proud of her kasi it’s been a very tough year for her eh. Yung recovery niya and yung rehab niya, mahirap, sobrang hirap, so, nakikita ko every day yung hard work niya and yun, proud ako na nakabalik na rin siya and God-willing na wala na siyang injuries na maano sa career niya,” he said.
When asked about how he supported her, Cu said that it was important that he pushed Dela Cruz to undergo her therapy, especially as it became difficult for her at the start with the journey ahead so tedious.
But the Ginebra player wasn’t one to sugarcoat. Staying true to his partner, Cu told Dela Cruz the effort will eventually pay dividends.
“Mino-motivate ko lang siya everyday na hindi siya makakabalik kung hindi niya gawin yung rehab niya eh, so, kailangan niya maging matyaga sa rehab niya sa nutrition niya. So yun lang, lagi ko lang siya nire-remind and mino-motivate na para makabalik siya, kailangan niya gawin yun,” said Cu.
Now, Dela Cruz is expected to make up for lost time as she gets into the fold with her new team, having been with another club during the time of her injury.
Dela Cruz and the rest of the Farm Fresh Foxies return to action on Saturday, January 25, at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.