Pull up a Jema Galanza highlight reel video…
…and watch an undersized open hitter explode on blockers three to five inches taller the her. All the while, Galanza also boasts of an all-around skill set that includes solid ball control.
But there aren’t too many videos of Galanza at the net. For much of her career, the Laguna native has flown under-the-radar while playing for the Adamson University Lady Falcons.
As a Lady Falcon, Galanza has shone, although her individual brilliance has not always translated into team success.
Against the National University Lady Bulldogs, the 21-year-old pulled off a rare volleyball triple-double. This, however, went unnoticed, as her Lady Falcons slipped to their fourth straight loss. In the game immediately after, Ateneo de Manila University veteran Michelle Morente also accomplished the same feat in a thrilling five-set win against the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws.
Whether it’s because she is playing for a rebooting program or her team hasn’t been that good, Galanza has gotten used to it by now. It’s harder to make a case for yourself as a good volleyball player when your team has zero wins.
“Noong una pa lang naman, actually pagkatapos pa lang ng season namin last year, ine-expect ko na ‘di talaga ko talaga kakayanin na makipagsabayan sa iba kasi, ‘yun nga, bago ‘yung iba [kong teammates],” Galanza told Tiebreaker Times.
“Talagang ako ‘yung magdadala sa kanila.
“Hindi din naman ganoon kadali na ako lang ‘yung gagawa. Nakaka-motivate pa rin naman siya kasi, sa tingin ko, kinakaya ko pa din makipagsabayan,” she furthered.
Having lost several veteran hitters from last season, Galanza is the only strong scoring option left on the roster. Opponents have keyed in on her but her teammates have not responded.
“Sobrang bigat. Tapos lahat kailangan kong dahilan and maganda din ‘yung ginagawa ko. Kailangan talaga lagi akong pumupuntos. Kasama na din doon na isa ako dapat talaga sa pinaka-stable mentally at emotionally sa loob ng court so mahirap talaga,” Galanza added.
Still, she remains optimistic. Galanza knows that her time under the sun will come when her teammates also begin to blossom.
“Hanggang ngayon naman hindi ako nagsasawa na lumaban kasama sila kasi bago sila. Dadating din siguro ‘yung panahon na lalaban kami nang sabay-sabay,” she asserted.
