Another rookie is looking to make an immediate impact for Far Eastern University when the UAAP Season 82 raises its curtains in less than a week.
The local volleyball community is keeping an eye on Shiela Kiseo, who gave a glimpse of her potential for the Lady Tamaraws in the PVL Collegiate Conference and the UAAP beach volleyball tournament last year.
The 19-year-old outside hitter has proven that she has the makings of someone who can thrive in both the indoor circuit and on the sands. And so many — including head coach George Pascua — have dubbed her as the second coming of Bernadeth Pons.
While such comparisons often result in immense amounts of pressure for most, Kiseo is taking it all in stride.
She remains dead set on carrying the cudgels for the Lady Tamaraws, who lost a hefty amount of firepower with the absence of Jerrili Malabanan, Heather Guino-o, Kyle Negrito, Elize Ronquillo, Ced Domingo, and Carlota Hernandez.
“‘Yung iniisip ko lang po ay magsipag lang sa training at laging may matutunan every training namin, at pagdating ng laro may papakita kami,” the proud daughter of Mandaue, Cebu said.
“Sa ngayon tina-try ko po ‘yung best ng ine-expect ng tao. Hindi lang po ako nagpa-promise pero tina-try ko ‘yung best na maipakita ng team namin na makakaya namin.”
Kiseo and Pons have met each other, and even trained together several months ago when the former was revving up her preparations for the collegiate beach volleyball wars.
The young, up-and-coming Lady Tamaraw even had this to say back then, when asked about the comparisons: “Ate Pons? ‘Di po, ang layo nu’n! Pero idolo ko po talaga si Ate Pons. Si Ate Pons, hindi naman siguro na pareho ko siya, pero ginagawa ko lang ‘yung best na parang maging siya. Pero kung kaya ko man siya lamangan, kakayanin ko po. Go lang!”
Safe to say, it was an encounter that has worked wonders for Kiseo moving forward.
“Nagpapasalamat din ako dahil kay ate Pons, meron akong tinitingala,” she bared.
“Si Ate Pons din parang ‘yung tipong hindi siya mataas, matapang siya. ‘Yun talaga natutunan ko sa kanya, ‘yung tapang na hindi ka talaga matatakot kahit anong mangyari.”
Carrying the learnings Pons has imparted, Kiseo is looking to carve her own path. And as an incoming freshman in the league, she aspires to be the best among a promising crop of rookies that includes the likes of Ateneo’s Faith Nisperos, Adamson’s Louie Romero, La Salle’s Thea Gagate, and UST’s Imee Hernandez to name a few.
But, of course, adding another golden hardware to the age-old league’s winningest volleyball program is Kiseo’s top priority.
“Opo, meron naman [akong hangaring manalo ng Rookie of the Year] pero magpe-perform na lang ako na kung ano man natutunan ko kay coach George [Pascua] tsaka sa team namin. Kung may maibubunga mas mabuti. Pero kung wala, okay lang din, at least makakatulong ako sa team namin.”
