From the outside looking in, many would already consider University of Perpetual Help System DALTA’s NCAA Season 101 women’s volleyball run an achievement given how the Lady ALTAs fared for the past seasons.
The Lady ALTAs have surprised many this season, sometimes even themselves.
They opened their campaign with a stunning five-set win over no less than defending champion De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, setting the tone for a five-game winning streak.
They ended the preliminary round by winning six of their last eight games to clinch a twice-to-beat bonus in the playoffs. But Perpetual had to regroup to escape Emilio Aguinaldo College in the quarterfinals and make their return to the Final Four after missing the last two editions.
The Las Piñas crew pushed Benilde to the limit in Game 1 of their semifinal series, but ran out of steam late before being swept in the Game 2 close-out.
But for veteran Shai Omipon, their recent campaign was never about exceeding expectations or winning or losing. It's about using it as a springboard in the seasons to come.
"For the past seasons, sobrang nahirapan ‘yung team namin na makaangat and ngayon, nakikita namin na maganda ‘yung run. ‘Yun nga, natalo lang kami. Kinulang pa rin pero masaya pa rin," Omipon told GMA News Online.
"Iba ‘yung samahan namin ngayon, special talaga itong season na 'to kaya iba rin ‘yung iyak ko ngayon kasi nakakapanghinayang kasi nga lahat kami gustong manalo."
(For the past seasons, our team had a hard time to get to the top. And now you can see the run going good. But there, we just lost. We fell short but we’re still happy… Our camaraderie is different. This season is really special, that’s why I’m crying a lot. It’s a shame because all of us really wanted to win.)
It's been a journey for Perpetual that made Omipon reflect on hers.
The 22-year-old outside spiker admitted she had once been half-hearted about pursuing volleyball after high school, sharing she feared no team would want her services because of her weight.
But after making it through Perpetual’s tryout in 2022, she received words of encouragement from head coach Sandy Rieta.
"That time parang nadi-discourage na ako na ‘wag na maglaro kasi sobrang taba ko no’n. Akala ko walang kukuha sa akin na schools. Ang ginawa ko no’n, pinush ko ‘yung sarili ko na magbawas," Omipon added.
"Para kasing 50-50 ako no’n, ayoko na no’n dahil sa weight ko at sa physical appearance ko pero gusto ko kasi passion ko talaga siya. So 2022, pumunta ako sa Perps."
(That time, I was feeling discouraged, I was thinking of stopping playing because I was so heavy then. I thought none of the schools would want me. What I did back then, I pushed myself to lose weight… I was like 50-50 then, I wanted to quit because of my weight and physical appearance but this was really my passion. So 2022, I went to Perps.)
Four seasons in, Omipon has transformed into someone even she didn’t imagine she could be.
"Sobrang taba ko po dati kasi sa genes din. Nag-89 kilograms po ako no’n then two months before ako mag-try out, naka-lose po ako ng 12 kilos. Discipline lang po talaga," Omipon shared.
"Every time na may spare time, itatakbo ko lang. Nagse-self workout lang ako kasi kailangan ko 'yun if gusto ko talaga maglaro."
(I was so heavy then because of my genes. I reached 89 kilograms then two months before I tried out, I lost 12 kilos. It really took discipline…. Every time I had spare time, I just ran. I did self workouts because I needed that if I wanted to play.)
Looking ahead to Season 102, she hopes the Lady ALTAs can turn past heartbreaks into fuel as they chase Perpetual’s first title since 2014.
Perpetual is set to remain largely intact next season, with Omipon expected to return alongside Jem Menor, Cyrille Almeniana, Geraldine Palacio, Fifi Ariola, and Joanna Lozano.
—JMB, GMA News
