EJ Laure turning pro has been a long time coming and was not an abrupt decision.
The 5-foot-9 spiker bared on The Game on Tuesday that signing with Chery Tiggo has always been the plan.
After not playing in UAAP Seasons 80 and 81, Laure returned in Season 82 and joined her younger sister Eya on the taraflex – a much-awaited force for University of Santo Tomas.
However, the sisters only got to share the floor twice as Covid-19 happened.
“Before pa kasi magstart yung UAAP last time, nag-usap na talaga kami ni Eya na isang year lang talaga akong sasama sa kanya,” recalled the UAAP Season 77 Rookie of the Year.
“Siyempre pagbibigyan din namin yung parents namin saka yung lolo at lola namin na makasama ko si Eya sa court ng one year pero naudlot.”
Two years into the pandemic, Laure has finally made the jump, and joining Chery Tiggo was a no-brainer.
This as the Crossovers was the same franchise she was a member of in 2016, 2017, and 2019 – the Foton Tornadoes.
“Chery kasi talaga. Kasi sila talaga yung nandiyaan parati kapag may kailangan kami saka inaalagaan naman kasi nila talaga kami,” said Laure.
And with the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference slated to start on March 16, the newly-minted pro player Laure is raring to be back on the floor with the defending champions.
Especially with Chery Tiggo’s star players Dindin Santiago-Manabat and Mylene Paat, playing as imports of Nakhon Ratchasima, also set to participate in the tournament as the 2021-22 Volleyball Thailand League would have ended by then.
“Makakatulong talaga (‘yung international experiece nila) kasi iba yung galaw sa Thailand, mabilis so siguro ma-aadopt namin yung pagiging mabilis nila.”
Aside from Laure, the Crossovers has also inked middle blocker Cza Carandang and spiker Roma Joy Doromal in preparation for their title defense.
