In celebration of Women's Month, AJ Jingco shared to One Sports how she balances her dual role of being a player for the Farm Fresh Foxies and being a coach for the LSGH Girls Volleyball Team.
AJ Jingco is taking on the challenge of balancing two demanding roles: playing for the Farm Fresh Foxies in the PVL while coaching the La Salle Green Hills (LSGH) Girls Volleyball Team.
While juggling both responsibilities is no easy task, Jingco has found ways to manage her time and energy, thanks to the support of the people around her.
"Actually, before ako umoo dito sa Farm Fresh, umoo na ako sa LSGH," Jingco shared to One Sports. "Pero in my head, ano ba 'yung mas priority ko at the moment? Eh feeling ko bata pa ako to coach. I started coaching before kasi I graduated from college, tapos I was looking for something to do. But then, nagkaroon ng opportunity sa PVL.”
Managing two roles
Jingco’s daily schedule is packed—training with Farm Fresh in the morning and coaching at LSGH in the afternoon.
Despite the difficulty of handling both roles, she has learned to manage her time efficiently.
"Time management is really important," Jingco said. "After my training, I still have to coach another session, but I manage because of the support from my teammates, coaching staff, and even my players at LSGH."
"Dito sa Farm Fresh, sobrang gaan makasama 'yung mga tao. Also doon, 'yung mga bata ko, 'yung mga players ko, naiintindihan din naman nila 'yung situation ko and very supportive sila dun. So, siguro sila 'yung isa sa hugot ko kung bakit ko siya nakakayang i-balance,” she added.
From a gap year to coaching
Jingco initially did not plan on coaching right away after graduating from De La Salle University with cum laude honors.
"Actually, after college, I told myself na I was going to have a gap year kasi stressful pati 'yung degree ko nun, it wasn't easy, very time-consuming, and kailangan talaga ng manpower," she explained. "So, I told myself I'll give myself a break but nagka-opportunity nga na mag-coach ako.”
“Sabi ko, sige wala naman akong ginagawa ngayon. So, might as well, try it na lang din kasi the demand there isn't that high. Kasi two to three times a week lang din siya,” she added.
But another opportunity came her way when she was invited to play for the now-disbanded Gerflor Defenders.
"Bigla nga nagka-opportunity din. May nag-reach out sakin which is sa Gerflor pa 'yun before. So, I told myself na not everyone gets the opportunity to play sa pro, so I grabbed it na lang din," said Jingco.
Building a legacy at LSGH
Aside from playing, Jingco takes serious pride in her coaching role at LSGH, where she became the school's first female coach.
It was only in 2020 when LSGH, a formerly all-boys school, became co-educational as it opened its doors to female students.
"It's actually very fulfilling kasi when I went into LSGH, ako pala 'yung first female coach doon. So, 'yung na-handle ko is the first batch also of the girl's team," Jingco bared.
The former DLSU Lady Spiker likewise embraced the challenge of leading a new team and aimed for immediate success.
"Nung pumasok kasi ako, I took it as a challenge. Hindi lang 'yung parang, 'Okay, magco-coach ako kasi binigay sakin,'" she recalled. "So, nung start pa lang ako nag-coach dun, goal ko talaga na makapag podium finish agad. Kasi it's big eh."
“Pag narinig mo LSGH parang maririnig mo men's basketball ganyan, so sabi ko, gusto ko kami din. So, kahit mga bago kami, pinu-push ko talaga sila."
Her efforts paid off, as LSGH secured a podium finish in her first year as a coach.
Jingco and the girls volleyball team have also seen success in the other leagues they joined in the succeeding months and years.
"Ending, nagawa din namin 'yung podium finish sa first year ko which is sobrang fulfilling din," she said. "And then from there, nagsunod-sunod kasi alam na ng mga bata 'yung feeling na nanalo and naabot 'yung gusto nilang maabot."
Looking ahead
With her hands full as both a PVL player and a coach, Jingco continues to embrace the challenges that come with both roles.
Whether it's finding her way in the court or guiding young players from the sidelines, Jingco remains focused on growth and success in both fields.