From their favorite girlhood moments with teammates to the women who inspired them the most, NU’s Alyssa Solomon and UE’s Angelica Reyes and Dea Villamor serve the tea in this ‘Girls' Talk.’
Women warriors on the taraflex, yet elegant ladies off it.
That just describes Alyssa Solomon, a former Season 84 champion and Best Opposite Spiker of the NU Lady Bulldogs, along with the UE Lady Warriors libero tandem in Ange Reyes and Dea Villamor.
In celebration of International Women’s Day, One Sports chat with the three to get the tea.
Asked about her favorite girlhood moments with the Lady Bulldogs, Solomon revealed that teasing her teammates with their crush was her favorite.
“Siguro, yung mga moments na kinikilig kami ‘pag may,’Uy, andiyan yung crush mo,’” she bared.
For Villamor, helping her teammate who is not used to doing her own make-up stood out.
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’Pag media day po kasi sa’min, meron kaming mga [teammates] na hindi marunong mag-ayos ng sarili. So aayusan namin siya, me-makeup-an, " she revealed.
In which teammate and co-libero, Reyes, agreed.
“Syempre sa’ting mga babae, ‘di naman mawawala ‘yun. ‘Tska normal sa’tin ‘yon.”
And who’s the woman that inspired the two UE liberos the most?
The one who gave birth to them, of course.
“For me po, ‘yung mother ko syempre. She raised me well while wala po ‘yung Papa ko.” Villamor said.
“Syempre, Mama’s girl [ako],” Reyes proudly added.
For Solomon, it’s none other former NU star player and now JT Marvelous’ Jaja Santiago who inspired her the most.
“Si Ate Jaja [Santiago] talaga kasi nakikita ko sa kasi nakikita ko sa kanya ’yung sipag, ‘yung determination and parang walang pagod na tuloy-tuloy lang and sobrang insipiring talaga.”
[ALSO READ: V1 gold eludes Jaja Santiago as the NEC Red Rockets ruin JT Marvelous' perfect season]
The 2023 SEA V-League Women’s Best Opposite Spiker also bared that being moody is definitely the hardest part of being woman but added that such a thing also increased awareness and provided additional lessons for the ladies.
‘‘Yun talaga yung number one na ano, ‘yung mahirap kontrolin pero at the same time, at least nae-explore mo ‘yung sarili mo. Pero after naman ‘nun, may matututunan ka.”
Viilamor noted that having their periods is the one thing that comes on top of her mind.
“Kasi iba-iba ‘yung [mga] babae. Iba-iba ‘yung pain level nila. For me [may] mental part siya, kasi you train yourself how to control your feelings din.”
Solomon, who is a former two-time Palarong Pambansa MVP, reminded young women to continue their passion and to rest and bounce back in facing obstacles.
“Hindi talaga worth it kapag sinukuan mo ‘yung gustong-gusto mo para sa sarili mo,” she added.
Photo: UAAP
“Continue [to] strive for the best. Makinig ka lang din sa mga coaches mo sila yung mas nakakaalam kung ano makakabuti sa’yo,” Villamor shared.
Reyes, for her part, emphasized on learning to listen and being unbothered to the outside noise while working on your craft.
Watch the whole video here:
(With reports from Jamie Velasco)