Fresh from a six-month break, Jovelyn Gonzaga is back to playing the sport she loves, eager to help her new team, ZUS Coffee, make a mark in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.
Gonzaga last played for Cignal in the 2024 All-Filipino Conference before skipping the Reinforced Conference to focus on her recovery and return to full health after a hectic 2023 schedule that included beach volleyball and a full season with the HD Spikers.
“Lumayo muna ako sa volleyball kasi, ‘yun siguro ‘yung natutunan ko sa sarili ko kasi na-injury na ako before, ‘di ba?” shared Gonzaga, who suffered a torn ACL in 2017. “Masyado ko nang inaabuso ‘yung katawan ko from beach volleyball to three conferences na sunod-sunod.
“Yun nga, thankful ako doon. Grateful ako doon sa opportunity na makasama sa team na laging nakakapasok sa podium. Blessed ako, sobrang blessed ako doon. Pero at times, mafe-feel mo na ‘yung pagod mo, bini-betray mo na ‘yung katawan mo,” she continued.
“Na parang, mahal ko ang volleyball pero napapagod na ang katawan ko. So, ayoko na ulit na, knock on wood, ‘wag naman na sa sobrang pilit ko, may mangyayari sa katawan ko. ‘Yun talaga ‘yung main reason talaga bakit ako nag-rest.”
During her time away from the sport, Gonzaga focused on her duties with the Philippine Army, which eventually became her springboard back to the PVL.
“Ang ginawa ko actually, nag-trabaho. May trabaho talaga ako sa Army. And, um, ano pa mga ginawa ko? More on trabaho, yun na talaga yung routine ko every single time,” said the 33-year-old veteran spiker.
“After that rest, last conference, may laro kasi kami actually sa army. So, good start siya for me. Kasi at least nagkakapapa ako doon, and naibabalik ko kaunti.”
Back from her hiatus, Gonzaga is embracing a new chapter in her storied career with a young Thunderbelles squad eager to make its mark in the country’s only professional volleyball league.
(C) PVL Images
The pride of Jordan, Guimaras, shared that she chose ZUS Coffee in search of a renewed purpose in her volleyball career.
“Happy ako na ZUS ang napuntahan ko na team. Unang-una, mga bata. And at the same time, kumbaga, kung may natututunan sila sa akin, ako din may natutunan. Actually, yun naman din yung isa sa reason bakit nag-iba ako ng team,” said Gonzaga.
“Yung parang ano naman ba yung purpose, anong bago for me, na gusto kong matutunan. And yun, happy ako na sa first game namin, naging ganito ang kinalabasan. Though nabitin kami, pero at least nagbigay kami ng magandang laban. And nangangapangapa pa, lumalabas pa rin talagang pagkabata ng team. Pero nandoon na kami, we’re getting there,” added Gonzaga, who tallied eight points and 11 digs in their loss to Akari.
Tasked with helping lead an up-and-coming squad, the two-time Shakey’s V-League MVP vowed to do everything in her power to help end the team’s back-to-back winless campaigns and find success this season.
Gonzaga believes that they’re already making progress, with the team quickly clicking, which helps them focus more on honing their skills and improving their performance on the court.
“Siguro, more on, kasi madisiplina talaga sila. Mababait na bata. So, mas siguro sa guide, ang presence ko is enough. Parang yun yung ano kaya yun ang lagi nilang sinasabi, na parang, Ate, dito ka lang laking bagay na sa amin. So, hindi siya mahirap sa akin. Hindi siya responsibility. Hindi siya responsibilidad,” said Gonzaga.
“Kasi parang, pagdating ko dun, nakaano agad ako? Anong right term? Click agad ako sa team. Alam mo, yun yung fear ko noon, na baka hindi kami aligned sa line of thinking namin. Baka magkaiba kasi mga bata sila. Pero pagdating ko dun, Diyos ko, kung alam niyo lang, parang sarap nila kasama,” she continued.
“So, ako parang, yun nalang din yung presence, and kung ano yung kaya ko i-perform, kasi nagpahinga din ako last conference. So, yun talaga yung iniisip ko lang. Hindi yung magdadalasin, hindi kasi mababait sila, mga disiplinado talaga sila. Akin lang is to step up every single game, every single time na ginagamit ako ni Coach Jerry. Para at least makita din nila, ma-inspire din sila sa akin, na mas mapaganda pa lalo mga laro namin. So, more on, kailangan ko mag-step up. Yun nang talaga yung iniisip ko lagi, every single time.”
