Bernadeth Pons will join Sisi Rondina back on the sands, reigniting their SiPons beach volleyball tandem.
Just like her sand partner Rondina, Pons will return to beach volleyball after spending the past two years with Creamline in the Premier Volleyball League.
Their return to the beach, which they focused on from 2019 to 2023, is driven by their desire to regain the Philippines’ spot on the podium at the Southeast Asian Games.
The Philippine women’s beach volleyball national team earned back-to-back bronze medals in the 2019 and 2021 (held in 2022) SEA Games, with SiPons as one of the country’s prominent tandems.
In the 2019 edition, which was hosted by the Philippines, SiPons played alongside the duo of Dij Rodriguez and Dzi Gervacio. In the 2021 games in Vietnam, they were partnered with Jovelyn Gonzaga and Rodriguez.
However, in the 2023 Cambodia SEA Games, the Philippines failed to reach the semifinals, finishing last in their group during the elimination round.
Photo from AVC
“Kasi personally talaga, medyo disappointed kami sa result namin nung SEA Games kasi nga coming from bronze tapos biglang wala kaming place nung last na SEA Games. So parang doon pa lang talaga, gusto na namin talaga na bumawi sa darating na SEA Games, so yun yung bakit gusto pa namin ulit maglaro,” Pons shared.
In those 2023 games, the tandems were shuffled, with Rondina pairing up with Gonzaga and Pons teaming up with Rodriguez.
Aside from their two bronze medals at the SEA Games, SiPons also claimed a gold medal in the 2022 Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Subic Bay Future leg.
Pons feels excited to get back into peak form on the sand alongside her long-time partner, Rondina.
“Siyempre sobrang happy and sobrang excited na rin kasi parang medyo matagal din eh kasi nung last na SEA Games hindi rin kami yung partner and yun bumalik kami ng indoor so excited ako sa pagbabalik namin,” said Pons, the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference and Finals MVP.
In addition to the 2025 SEA Games, which will be held in December in Thailand, the national team’s beach volleyball coaching staff is also eyeing several tournaments. This makes it essential for SiPons to resume their sand training after the PVL All-Filipino Conference.
However, Pons reassured that the transition back to the sand court would be smooth and not rushed.
“Hindi naman kami bibiglain ng coaching staff, parang napag-usapan naman na kailangan munang mag-transition kasi medyo matagal din na galing kami from indoor so hindi siya ganon kadali. So may mga transition phase muna bago doon dumating sa medyo bakbakan,” Pons explained.
“Baka after this conference mag-start na rin kami ng training sa beach kasi marami rin kasing mga tournament na gusto ng coach namin na masalihan namin bago yung SEA Games.”
