One of the many consequences of the country’s controversial shift to a K-12 academic system is UST’s Eya Laure.
The 5-foot-8 volleyball savvant was ready for the UAAP Seniors division two years ago. But, the 18-year old had to stay in UST high school for two additional years of senior high school.
But, despite only being days removed from shoulder-injury recovery, Eya Laure finally made her seniors division debut.
In UST’s quick win over the San Sebastian Lady Stags in the PVL Collegiate Conference, Laure tallied seven points to the delight of the UST contingent, who braved torrential rains to see the new-look Golden Tigresses.
Perhaps, there was no one more relieved to see Laure in the seniors division than her longtime mentor and current UST head coach Kungfu Reyes.
“Si Eya Laure, siyempre, talk of the town. Kilala naman ng mga tao ‘yun.
“Galing ‘yan sa programa namin sa high school. Sa dami ng rookies ngayon, di naman nalalayo si Eya sa mga kabatch niya na recruit ng ibang teams,” said Reyes.
“‘Yun pa rin ‘yung performance niya. ung paano siya nag-perform. Mas marami siyang katulong, mas marami siyang pwedeng i-look up pa. Madami pang mga beterano, pero kaya niyang sumabay. Di na kami nagulat sa performance, ganyan na talaga ‘yun. Mapo-polish pa ‘yan the more she plays sa seniors,” he added.
Even Laure herself has not fully grasped being a college player yet.
“Nagsink-in siya pero slowly talaga. Process siya na nags-isink-in na eto na ko, sa seniors na ko. Kasi ilang years din ako na senior sa GVT na sanay akong i-guide ‘yung mga bata,” said the former Juniors Division Best Spiker and Best Setter.
“Ngayon kasi ako gina-guide ng mga seniors ko so yun parang every time na nagtetraining at nakikita ko sila. Ah freshman na ulit ako. Ako na ulit i-gaguide.”
Since she was in Grade 5, Laure has been groomed to become the versatile player that she is today.
She’s aware that the coaching staff has high expectations of her to continue to lift the UST volleyball program.
“Si coach Kungfu naman kasi simula’t simula talaga na magvolleyball ako, andiyan siya. Kahit noong grade 5 ako, tine-train ako ni coach Kungfu at coach Ian (Fernandez) na mag-setter-spiker na,” she shared.
“So ‘yun pagkapasok ng grade 7 sa UST nage-expect na sila sakin na makakatulong ako. So parang naka-set na siya sa akin na, siyempre, ginawa nila ako, trinain nila ako nang sobrang tagal,” Laure furthered.
“Alam ko talaga naghahanap sila ng something galing sa akin na gusto nila na lahat ng pinagpaguran nila sa akin na binigyan nila ako ng time para magdevelop ng ganito tapos gusto nila magkaroon ng result.”
