By Adrian Stewart Co

Middle blocker Joan Marie Monares of Bacolod City expressed both gratitude and excitement ahead of suiting up for the University of the Philippines (UP).
“I am extremely grateful for this opportunity,” the volleyball player said. “Being able to play and study [at] UP is huge for me; UP is a well-known university and many aspire to be part of this university.”
“Honestly, kabado ako and pressured kasi madaming tao ang nag e-expect sa akin (Honestly, I feel nervous and pressured because there are a lot of people who have expectations of me),” she added. “But, at the same time, I am happy since it is big stepping stone for me to achieve my goals.”
The former Bacolod Tay Tung High School standout said UP head coach Godfrey Okumu was a big influence in her decision to join the squad.
“Coach Okumu is one of the reasons why I chose UP not only because he can teach me so much about playing volleyball but, also, I know that I can learn a lot from him and that he will train me to be a better player than I was before,” she explained. “He’s been eyeing me since when I was in Grade 10 [and] he believes that I am a good player.”/ASC, WDJ