The rise of volleyball through the eyes of a basketball fanatic

“Dati, dream lang ang Araneta.”

Former Ateneo women’s volleyball star Kara Acevedo sits in front of me with a look of nostalgia on her face. Three years removed from playing her last game for Ateneo, she’s getting ready to join the thousands in trooping to the Mall of Asia Arena to witness her alma mater do battle with De La Salle in the final game of Season 76's women’s volleyball finals.

To hear her describe it, is to agree that the feeling definitely gives you “goosebumps.” It’s been a finals series for the ages, as the Lady Eagles have stretched this series to a do-or-die game four, as they look to end the reign of the Lady Archers.

From my perspective, the landscape of volleyball is like some kind of alternate universe, because it was actually Ateneo that had established a dynasty in basketball for five years before La Salle finally broke through in the recent UAAP me's basketball finals. In fact, for me, any other sport feels so foreign, so different when compared to basketball. When I try to put into context what I’ve seen when watching the finals, I have the need to put in basketball terms. Hence, I refer to Alyssa Valdez as the Kevin Durant of Ateneo, Abby Marano as the Lebron James of La Salle, and Kim Fajardo as the…June Mar Fajardo of La Salle. Because of the last name.

The surge that has led hopeless bandwagon fans like me to watch the sport has never been greater. Many people forget it now, but there was a time that volleyball was just another sport to be played in the UAAP. “There wasn’t any drama,” Acevedo recalls. “The stakes weren’t this great, and the players weren’t celebrities. Dati, yung mga games na yan, laro lang, kasi tayo-tayo lang naman e. Wala naman ibang makakita. Family lang o friends na walang class. Difference is before, less pressure. Kasi hindi pa ganon kalaki ang support na binibigay as compared to now.”

While basketball nuts like myself screamed and cheered for my alma mater, players like Kara played in relative obscurity, competing for school glory and self-improvement. Frequenting smaller venues like the Rizal Memorial Stadium or Blue Eagle Gym in Katipunan, they played loose and free, able to do what they love for the school they represent.

But gradually, things would change. As talented rookies entered the league, the competition began to increase, and so would the fanbases of the schools. “Dati after games, uwian na," Kara shares. "Pero naabutan ko yung may bouncers na. Nakakatakot! Dati, may isang game, championship ng Shakey’s V-League. Pag labas naming ng San Juan Arena, first time ko makakita ng ganung karaming tao naghihintay sa amin. Yung time na yan, walang support na bus, kanya-kanya lang.“

“Pinakanakakatawang experience ko, na hanggang ngayon kine-kwento ko sa mga tao: may nagpa-kiss ng baby. As in “please, kiss mo ang baby ko.”

Acevedo played from 2007-2011. It’s that era that served as a crossroads for the popularity of volleyball. She, along with the other stars from other schools, helped lay the groundwork for where it is today. “We helped made the support bigger,” Kara says. “We were part of the process. It’s so nice to see na lahat ng tao, napapansin na ang volleyball. Lahat ng pinaghirapan, nagbubunga na.”

Today, the dream of playing for huge crowds and high stakes that seemed so far away is right before us. Volleyball has never been bigger, and it’s never been this thrilling: “I’ve been a spectator for Ateneo-La Salle basketball, and ganun ang feeling," Kara exclaims excitedly. Nadala ng volleyball ang school spirit. It’s wild! Basketball is fast paced, pero mas lalo na ang volleyball. Mas exciting!”

Basketball will always be king in the Philppines. But the passion that people, both fans and players, have for volleyball has shown that there’s room for both sports to flourish. It has also led basketball fans, like myself, to appreciate the purity of competition and school spirit in another form. Right now, I can’t tell you what the defensive sets are in volleyball. All I’m familiar with are zone defenses, full court presses and man to man. I don’t know all the positions in volleyball: guards, forwards, and centers are all I’m familiar with. So as a fan, this afternoon I’m privileged to watch the 12 ladies (I researched that) do battle on the court for Ateneo and La Salle. Never did I think that I’d be looking forward to watching a volleyball game this much.

Never did I think I’d miss out so much as well. As Kara said: “Hindi lang basketball ang sport ng Pilipinas.” - AMD, GMA News