UAAP Season 79 Women’s Badminton MVP Poca Alcala
After ending their 14-year title drought in 2014, the University of the Philippines Lady Maroons added a very prominent name in the lineup to further their drive for a back-to-back titles last year.
Malvinne Ann Venice Alcala, one of the country’s top singles players was supposed to make her UAAP debut last year, but a technicality prevented her from doing so.
“I was protested by Ateneo and FEU last year kaya hindi ako nakalaro. It’s because I played under a commercial team in a commercial league, which is hindi pala pwede pag under residency ka. Actually, hindi namin alam na may ganun pala,” Poca recalled.
“Kung naglaro ako, mafo-forfeit lahat ng games namin. So, buti na lang naagapan at hindi na lang ako naglaro. Pero hindi na ko natanggal sa lineup.”
With the air cleared this year, Alcala was finally able to take the courts of Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall. The lanky shuttler was more than ecstatic to finally get to play for UP.
After her very first games, she shared, “since it’s my first time this season, it’s kind of a pressure, na-pressure talaga ko. First game ko yun eh, first-ever game in UAAP, so I felt really pressured.”
She noted that it was really different to play in the UAAP compared to commercial tournaments as this is a matter of school pride, fighting for an entire community.
“Mas matimbang naman na yung feeling na nakaka-proud na you’re playing for your school and you’re representing your university. And nakikita mo yung mga tao nandiyan, nagchee-cheer sila for you. Yun, it’s a very different game for me,” she shared.
“Kasi before I was playing for myself, now, I’m playing for the whole school, for the whole university, for the whole community. Nakaka-pressure pero gusto kong challenge siya.”
It was not an entirely dominating run for Alcala during her maiden year. The UAAP rookie lost twice to the most dominant singles player in the UAAP today, Ateneo’s Bianca Carlos.
After their very first meeting during the very first day of the season, Alcala said, “I have to give it to her. Sobrang okay yung pinerform niya and nahirapan din talaga ko sa kanya.”
From that emotional loss in her first UAAP match, Alcala did not hide her emotions. After that opening day, the UP Maroons co-captain vowed to do something about it.
“Usually, yung mga teammates ko, they would tell me na, whenever I feel down during the game, look up to the supporters. But then, today, it kind of did not work for me, I felt more pressured,” she shared.
“So nung nag-doubles ako, I prevented looking up. I just focused on the game. Yung surroundings ko di ko na pinansin, sa game lang talaga.”
That strategy worked well and Alcala cruised past her singles matches, along with her doubles pairings with usual partner UAAP Season 77 MVP Jessie Francisco.
Until, once again, Alcala met Carlos in the first tie of the Finals. Playing head-on did not work for the Lady Maroons, suffering their first loss in three years.
That humbling loss just brought out the best from the reigning queens. And Alcala, along with the whole team, had a hand on the lineup mix up for the second tie.
“Sobrang nakatulong yung pinalitan namin yung lineup kasi. Ako na rin mismo nagsabi na, for the sake of the team , dapat mas isipin yung mas makakabuti,” she shared.
“Siguro, mas makakabuti na ilayo muna ako kay Bianca kasi dalawang beses na kong natalo sa kanya, so I guess it’s best na kailangang i-move na ko for the team points.”
And the rest was history. Down a match and a game, UP was able to level the series at one tie through the heroics of the third-year Physical Education major.
“Ang pinakanag-push sa min, ako ha, sinasabi ko lagi sa sarili ko na, ‘I will do whatever it takes to defend our title. I won’t let anything get in the way of that.’”
Leading her team on and off the court, the co-skipper rallied them towards another title. With determination, the Lady Maroons remained defiant, eventually going home with their third straight UAAP title and their ninth overall, just three days after that comeback win in Tie 2.
Alcala was just relieved that she was able to start her campaign with a tiara.
“Sobrang fulfilling; and this proves na kung united kami ng teammates ko , we can do anything, we can get through anything. Yun lang talaga, sobrang speechless lang ako na nanalo kami,” she said.
“Sobrang nakakaiyak pero sobrang saya. Kahit na sobrang down kami nung una, napanalo pa rin naming. Puso lang.”
With her overall impact on the team’s destiny this season, the newbie Lady Maroons also copped the season’s highest individual award joining doubles partner Francisco and fourth-year Bea Bernardo in the list of MVP’s from the State U.
After winning the MVP plum, Poca shared, “of course, I was not expecting the award po. It would add up to the pressure din kasi so I just played for my team and siyempre sa UP.”
“I think of the award po kasi talaga as a bonus, kasi yung goal talaga was for our team to get the title.”
Nonetheless, she welcomes this as an added motivation in her career in the sport.
This is also a stepping stone to set for higher goals come next UAAP season. For her, “it will surely be a positive thing to look forward to for the next season, something I can set as my goal besides winning again the championship.”
And now that she won not only the title, but also the MVP plum. Alcala gives the honor back to the community who was there to make her feel “different.”
“[It is] fulfilling. There’s no other word talaga na makakapag explain nun. Being able to represent UP itself, nakaka-proud na eh. What more winning it pa.”
