Despite battling an auditory condition, Kat Tolentino feels determined to regain her form and become a vital contributor for Choco Mucho in the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.
Tolentino revealed after the Flying Titans’ debut four-set loss to Petro Gazz that she is currently deaf in her left ear and is adjusting to this condition, which affects her perception of sounds during matches.
“It’s different because I’m deaf in my left ear, so all the sounds are coming from my right side, so it’s pretty different. Just even as a person in the arena, it’s different but it’s not something that I can’t deal with,” said the 29-year-old opposite spiker.
(C) PVL Images
Unfazed by her situation, Tolentino believes the condition is something she can manage. She also expressed gratitude for her teammates, who have been very supportive throughout her adjustment period.
“I just have to adjust and understand that this is the condition I have, so I have to get used to it. And so far, it’s been okay; it’s just really loud on my right side. But other than that, my team has been really supportive, and I’m thankful for that,” said Tolentino.
“Well, according to the ENT, it hasn’t exactly come back, and it’s been almost around 9 months. Hopefully, it’s not permanent; hopefully, it will come back. But right now, I just can’t really hear so much on my left side,” she added.
The former Ateneo star played her first full game back on Saturday night since missing the tail end of the 2024 Reinforced Conference due to the same issue.
Tolentino ended up with 12 points in the four-set, 20-25, 28-26, 21-25, 16-25 defeat at the hands of the Brooke Van Sickle-led Angels.
“I think we just have to adjust. Our team is… It’s the first game, so we can’t lose hope or feel like this is how it’ll be for the conference. I mean, it’s good to have it at the beginning so that we can learn from it and we can fix what we need to fix,” said the 6-foot-2 spiker from Vancouver, Canada.
Despite a decent performance, Tolentino believes she can still provide more moving forward for Choco Mucho.
“I know I can give more. I think that’s just the beginning right now. It’s not enough for the team. I know that I have to contribute both offensively and defensively, and I think I still have so much more to offer for this season.”
