#phenomday

Dear Alyssa, Five years ago, I don't care about UAAP. I don't care about volleyball. All I care about is basketball. All I care about is Kiefer Ravena. Yes, five years ago, I started to be an Ateneo fan. But not the whole school itself. Not even the whole Ateneo Blue Eagles squad. And it's weird. All I know in that team is that gorg guy wearing the #15 in his blue and white jersey. 3 years ago, I heard about UAAP volleyball. I heard about Ate Gretch, Ate Fille, the Fab 5 and the Ateneo Lady Eagles. I remembered I even watched them when they guested in GGV. A year after, I heard about a certain Alyssa Valdez. I heard about how blazing her backrow kills were. I heard about how fiery her open spikes were. I heard about how mighty she jumps in the volleyball court. How radiating her smiles were, how vibrant her personality was. I heard about how great and superb she was in the hard court. Taking over a young team recovering from a loss of five majestic people who became an example and guided the team for 5 long years and stood as their ates, I knew exactly how difficult it was. I knew that it was never been easy to accomplish considering that she's only in her 3rd playing year. Add that to the fact that they're having a new coach. It was totally out of their comfort zones. They're taking a large risk. But if you'll just look at that morena-skinned, Batangas native girl, you'll be comforted. It is as if her face has a glowing effect which comforts everyone having doubts to the team. I started to become an avid fan of UAAP Volleyball 2 years ago. And it was a dreadful season for the team. The Fab 5's gone, Coach Roger who became their father, especially to Alyssa since she started in Ateneo and molded her backrow skills, was unfortunately gone and eventually enlisted as one of the contenders that will be the team's headache. And their nemesis, the Lady Spikers, was still powerful as ever with Aby Marano still in the team. I knew that in that season, I've never been a fan of Alyssa. Well, somehow, I did. I am blind when I say I didn't notice her burning skills whenever she's inside that volleyball court. But she's not my bias, safe to say. Denden's the apple of my eye that season (well, until today din naman). I knew every single player of the Lady Eagles. I knew their name, I've memorized their jersey numbers, I can tell who they were even if the camera's afar, even if all I could see is their back. But I am not into every player. I am not into Alyssa Valdez, nor into Ella De Jesus, nor into Jia Morado. I am always into the libero's spell, always looking for that only one with the contrasting color among the team. Season 77 came and I started to notice Alyssa Valdez more. I can say that I am more attentive to her plays. I am much into her that time. Who wouldn't be, right? She's the back-to-back MVP, for goodness' sake! But I was in despair that season that I can't even enjoy how Alyssa Valdez plays. I was mourning every single game thinking that it's one of the last UAAP games of my favorite. Denden's graduating, Team Besh would never be the same after. That season, I became a vocal fan. Too vocal. Every game, I would try my very best to watch it on the television (coz I wasn't given a chance to watch them live). Every midweek game, since it was a school day, I would finish all my tasks in school super early (luckily tho, my 4-5 class was considered vacant every Wednesday). But that's not enough. Why would it be, right? Eh it's inevitable for them to have a game at 2 in the afternoon. So what would I do? Livestream's my only hope. I would sacrifice my snacks just to avail mobile data way ahead their upcoming game pa lang. There were those times when I would ditch class (well, not really "ditch" coz I wouldn't go to school on the remaining half day of my class naman, but my classmates insisted that it was "ditching" daw) but it's not offensive naman coz I'll just do it when I knew I wouldn't miss any "important" lesson (and by God's grace naman, I remained consistent with my studies sooo there's nothing to worry with me being die-hard). At lumala pa siya this season 78 wherein if I would narrate my addiction to the Lady Eagles especially my growing and new fondness and appreaciation on Alyssa, mas hahaba pa to. That's how vast Volleyball especially the Lady Eagles influenced my life. Since that season, I started dreaming to become a courtside reporter. I started to aspire studying in one of the universities participating in UAAP (well, since from the start, UP's my dream school already so there's technically no change of plans). I became so eager to learn how to be like Ate Lau. Why did I dream of becoming a court side reporter? Because I knew that I don't have a future in volleyball. Haha. I don't even know how to serve. Srsly. And because I am a big buff for UAAP and Ateneo, being a court side reporter of my dream university would be my only access to be somehow close to the stars I've always admired. Ate Ly, that's just some of the things you and your team brought me. You are one of the best experiences I've got. Being your fan, I am super blessed. You taught me how to fight. You taught me how to be humble inspite of the tons of achievements and recognitions. You taught me how to control myself from booing the opponents, from bashing them. You taught me to disregard the bashers and just focus on your goal because afterall, it is not them who will do the job, it is you. You taught me how to dream big. You brought me to greater heights. You taught me that I can achieve whatever I want as long as I love what I'm doing, as long as I have passion on what I wanted to do. You taught me that whoever I am, I can be successful. Ate Ly, you made me smile a lot of times. You bring smiles to my face every time I am doubting myself, I am doubting the Lady Eagles, I am doubting Coach Tai, I am doubting God. You stretch my facial muscles and lift them up whenever I am worried of your game, whenever the opponents' way ahead of you, whenever I failed my Physics quiz, whenever I didn't finish my project, whenever I missed watching your game. Thank you for comforting me every time I feel like I can't do something. Your smile in those thousands of photos of yours stored in my phone kept me alive and reenergized. I wanted to achieve more because I wanted to be just like you. I wanted to smile more because I wanted to mimic your positivity. Ate Alyssa, if you're doubting that you failed to make everyone smile, I'll tell you, no you didn't. I bet even the haters smiled because of you at one point. I am certain with that. If you think that you failed to give back for your fans, I'll tell you, no you didn't. It's enough for us that you won a very tough volleyball match. That's all we wanted. We wanted your success. When you think that you failed your fans whenever you guys lose, no you did not fail us. You just taught us that even the best falls down some times and we knew you will bounce back stronger, and if you didn't, we knew you will bounce back the strongest. This is it. I think, this will be the last time I will be seeing you in your blue and white jersey playing infront of a loud and roaring crowd of UAAP Volleyball. I am sad. Sad that you'll leave the team you treasured and fought for for five long years. Sad that I wasn't given a chance to fulfill one of my dreams, to watch you on that blue and white jersey of yours live. God knows how I badly wanted to watch you live at the arena. But your UAAP journey's almost done and sadly, this would be the end of one of my dreams. But this won't stop me from supporting you. This won't stop me from cheering my lungs out for you. This won't stop me from tweeting, statusing, posting on various social media accounts, honoring and appreciating how great you are. This won't stop me from stalking you on Twitter, IG, Snapchat and whatever account you have. This won't stop me from crying with you during a big win, during a heartbreaking loss. This won't stop me from laughing with you on mishits, on errors, on crazy things you do in and out of the court. This won't stop my Alyssa Valdez addiction. This won't stop my admiration for the one and only Alyssa Valdez. No one can stop me from being a fan. No one. Itaga mo yan sa bato. Ate Ly, now that your UAAP career is facing the sunset, remember that a girl named Hannah Mariz Rodulfo will always be here for you, cheering for you, crying with you, laughing with you, defending you, admiring you, accepting you. I will always be here. A solid Rock is what I am. I am proudly a solid fortress of the great Alyssa Valdez. I may not be physically close to you, but my heart, soul and mind are always there beside, behind, infront, over, under, around you. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH ALYSSA VALDEZ. I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU. TO THE MOON AND BACK, TO UAAP AND BEYOND. Loving, hoping and praying for you, Hannah PS: Hoping u could read this. Kahit yung last parts na lang. Hehe