Alyssa Valdez became the volleyball player that she is today because of the heartbreak she suffered in her final UAAP playing year with the Ateneo Lady Eagles.
Not all superstars have their fairytale endings.
Such was the case for Alyssa Valdez in her final playing year in the UAAP.
Looking back, the 31-year-old star spiker considers her final playing year with the Ateneo Lady Eagles as a pivotal moment.
In fact, Valdez said that it was what fueled her hunger for growth and pushed her to explore new heights in her volleyball career.
In UAAP Season 78, the Valdez-led Ateneo squad, which also featured the likes of Denden Lazaro-Revilla, Jho Maraguinot, Amy Ahomiro, Maddie Madayag, Bea de Leon, and Jia De Guzman, came up short in the winner-take-all Game 3 against the DLSU Lady Spikers led by Kianna Dy, Majoy Baron, Mika Reyes, Dawn Catindig, and Kim Fajardo.
The loss came after the Lady Eagles had won back-to-back UAAP titles, with the Season 77 conquest coming via a season sweep.
It was indeed a heartbreaking ending to Valdez's collegiate run, but rather than sulking about it, the volleyball superstar used it as a source of motivation.
"Lagi ko siyang binabalikan kasi I think that was my turning point as a volleyball player," Valdez shared to Gretchen Ho on One News’ Morning Matters.
[ALSO READ: Heartstrong!: Alyssa Valdez, Bea Tan, Denden Lazaro-Revilla reminisce good old days in Ateneo]
While a championship would have been the perfect sendoff, she believes winning might have led to complacency.
"If we won that year, I don't think I would be able to explore and learn more about the sport kasi I feel like I would settle."
Instead of letting the defeat define her, Valdez used it as a driving force to further her career.
"Ang naging effect nun sa atin was gutom kang patunayan 'yung sarili mo kasi ayaw mong mag-end sa pagkatalo," she admitted.
[ALSO READ: Alyssa Valdez reveals the one volleyball superstar she wishes she had faced in her career]
That hunger led her to take risks and step outside her comfort zone.
After Ateneo, Valdez played professionally overseas and represented the Philippines in international tournaments. Even before she settled into her role as Creamline's resident superstar, Alyssa's PVL career included stops with the likes of BaliPure, PLDT, and Customs before being a Cool Smasher.
All in all, Valdez has amassed 48 individual awards, with 17 of them of the MVP variety, and 12 championships.
[ALSO READ: Alyssa Valdez opens up on her biggest 'what if' in volleyball: 'Medyo malabo na']
What could have been a painful ending turned into the spark for a greater journey, a blessing in disguise.
“Kahit papaano, ganun 'yung nangyari kasi if not for that talaga, you won't take that risk eh to do more for yourself and for volleyball,” said Valdez.