From rivals to teammates: Aby Maraño, Fille Cainglet share volleyball journey

As the start of the Shakey's V-League Season 12 Open Conference approaches, a volleyball fan can't help but look back to the old University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) volleyball games because of the many familiar faces that are now playing for different teams in the league.

 

Among the former UAAP athletes that have made their way to the V-League are De La Salle University's Abigail Maraño, Wensh Tiu, and Cha Cruz, Ateneo de Manila University's Fille Cainglet-Cayetano and Alyssa Valdez, National University's Jaja Santiago and her sister Dindin Santiago, Adamson University's Faye Guevara, and many more.

 

Probably the biggest points of interest for UAAP fans are seeing players from opposing teams who are now playing for the same squad, like Cainglet-Cayetano and Maraño for Meralco.

 

For Maraño, the rivalry may be a bit overblown.

 

“Hindi naman big deal 'yung rivalry namin. Sa tingin ko, fans lang ang may concept ng rivalry. Sa amin kasi, kapag nasa court ka, kalaban mo ay kalaban mo. Pero after the game, magkakaibigan talaga kami. Kaya hindi ako naka-focus sa feeling na 'Oh, si Alyssa. Kailangan makita ng mga tao na babawian ko siya, or babawian niya ako.' As players, kailangan professional,” Maraño said.

 

"Excited akong makalaban lahat kasi marami kang matututuhan from them. Kahit anong klase ng team ang makakaharap mo, kailangan may mapupulot ka na learning from them."

 

Cainglet-Cayetano agrees that the V-League is a place for healthy competition and mature display of talent and skills.

 

"Sa college kasi, high competition. Here, it's really more on skills and 'yung maturity ng players. Dito, alam mo na 'yung kapabilidad ng lahat," she said.

 

Valuable experience

 

According to Maraño, the Lady Spikers' former captain and the current middle spiker for Meralco Power Spikers, the V-League has taught her a lot through the years, especially the experience of playing with teams coming from the UAAP, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation (CESAFI), as well as corporate clubs and other non-collegiate teams. 

 

"Mas excited ako ngayon kasi mas maraming teams. Last conference kasi, apat lang. Ngayon marami nang teams, kaya mas maraming makikilala, mas maraming players na makakaharap mo on court. So, magandang experience ito for me kasi ako, lagi kong nilu-look forward sa game na may matututuhan ako sa ibang players. Mas madaming players, mas madami kang matututuhan,” she said in a press conference for the Season 12 Open Conference on Monday.

 

Moreover, as a senior player, she enjoys being an inspiration to the younger generation of aspiring volleyball players.

 

"Masarap sa pakiramdam kasi alam mo na may mga batang naglu-look up sa'yo. So lagi mong iniisip na kailangan maganda ang performance para ma-motivate 'yung younger players na malabas nila 'yung full potential nila and ma-maximize nila 'yung talents nila. Saan pa ba kasi sila kukuha ng motivation or inspiration kundi sa mga matatanda? Ako din noong nasa college ako, kumukuha ako ng inspiration sa seniors ko para maging magaling na atleta," said Maraño.

 

New mom

 

Meanwhile, Cainglet-Cayetano, is looking forward to her first V-League after giving birth to her first child last year.

 

"After four months, nag-join na ako ng league. Sayang lang, hindi ako nakasali sa V-League last season kasi pregnant pa ako noon. Pero now, I'm really happy na makakasali na ulit ako kasi ito 'yung first league ko noong college ako. Ito 'yung first ever league na sinalihan namin at nakalaro ako as a college player sa Ateneo," she said.

 

"I'm excited about the league itself. 'Yung sa San Juan Arena ulit, because I haven't been there for so long. 'Yung familiarity lang talaga with everything. Ang sarap ng feeling na it's like home again," added the former Ateneo volleyball superstar. —JST, GMA News