Glory Alonzo has already accomplished so much over the past three seasons anchoring the vaunted Adamson University softball squad.
A two-time Best Pitcher (Seasons 85 and 87) and Season 85 Finals MVP, she chose to stay for one more year — not just to cement her legacy with the Lady Falcons, but also to help instill a championship mindset in the new generation.
Despite graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education, Alonzo opted to remain in school to pursue a master’s diploma and, of course, chase one last softball title for her beloved Adamson.
As such, the 25-year-old stalwart embraced the responsibility of leading the team as one of its most experienced seniors. Still, Alonzo believes leadership is shared and hopes the younger players learn by example.
“As a senior na rin, siguro kung paano kami dinala ng mga seniors namin dati, parang gano’n din ‘yung nangyari. Wala kaming pinapakita na bata sila. Fair ‘yung treatment namin sa lahat. When it comes sa laro naman, ilaban mo lang ‘yung sarili mo,” the ace from Bacolod City shared.
“Kung wala kang laro this round, kung wala kang laro nung game na ‘yon, maybe yes, kasi nga every game is a different story. So, as a senior, ang ginawa namin is buhatin namin ‘yung sarili namin; ‘pag nalaro namin ‘yung sarili namin, do’n lalabas mismo sa kanila,” Alonzo added.
“Kasi hindi namin sila matuturuan kung paano maglaro; kailangan ma-discover nila sa sarili nila kung paano maglaro. Gina-guide lang namin sila, pero iniiwan pa rin namin sa kanila ‘yung responsibility na kaya nilang ilabas ‘yon.”
A defining part of this journey for the reigning 12-time champions is not just their dominance — having absorbed only a single loss so far this season — but how they rebuilt themselves after losing four key players from last year’s title-winning squad.
Head coach Ana Santiago consistently emphasized that the team still had plenty to improve, even after finishing the first round at 4–1 and atop the standings, believing the Lady Falcons had more to show.
Alonzo agreed. For her, those early shortcomings became part of the team’s growth, shaping them into a more complete unit when it mattered most.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“Nakikita naman talaga namin sa team namin, sa sarili namin, na may kulang pa nung Round 1, Round 2, ‘yung di pa kami buo sa puso. Siguro na-develop lang namin ‘yung every day, sa samahan namin siguro. At ‘yung sakripisyo namin na minsan kami lang ang nakakaalam, ‘yung team lang namin ang nakakaalam sa sakripisyo na ginagawa namin,” the reigning Best Pitcher admitted.
“Kaunting pagkukulang at kung ano man ‘yung nangyari sa past game, lesson learned, at fini-fill in lang namin ‘yung sarili namin do’n para mabuo namin ‘yung pagkukulang na ‘yon. Gano’n lang ‘yung ginawa namin talaga,” she added.
“Nakita namin ‘yung result namin ngayon sa Game 1. Very fulfilling naman po, kasi nga ando’n na nga, ‘yung mga pagkukulang na ‘yon at ‘yung mga development na na-improve namin sa sarili namin, nailabas namin ngayong Game 1 na ‘to. So, hopefully, mahigitan pa namin sa Game 2.”
Game 1 last Monday also tested Alonzo, as she opened the first inning shakily — issuing a hit-by-pitch, allowing a single, and committing several passed balls that put runners on base. The sequence brought back memories of last season’s Finals opener, where she struggled early and never recovered.
This time, however, Alonzo stayed composed. She trusted her judgment and refused to dwell on what had already happened. She recovered, and the rest was history, as Adamson blanked the University of the Philippines to take Game 1.
“Siguro nga parang deja vu, sabi nga, pero iba ‘yung naging kuwento ngayon. Kasi noong last [season], hindi ko na-hold. Siguro ngayon is hindi ko inisip… So be it, ando’n na eh, nangyari na. So, ang magagawa ko na lang talaga is i-hold ‘yung mga runners nila,” she shared.
“To be honest, nakaramdam ako ng medyo kaba, pero diniscover ko sa sarili ko kung paano ko i-handle ‘yung pressure na ‘yon. Nakita naman na na-hold ko, pero masaya ako kasi hindi lang naman ako ‘yung gumawa no’n kundi ‘yung buong team.”
Now on the cusp of a record-extending 13th consecutive championship, Adamson needs only to build on its Game 1 effort to once again secure the crown, according to Alonzo.
“Siguro higitan pa namin ‘to, more on sa opensa pa, kalmado lang kami dapat. Ando’n din dapat ‘yung eagerness namin, kung ano ‘yung goal ng isa, goal ng lahat,” she said.
“Higitan pa rin talaga namin ‘yung lakas na ginawa namin; ‘yung laro namin, kung gaano kaganda ‘yung opensa at depensa namin, gano’n pa rin na mas higitan pa namin.”
