In trying to move on from her, the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws got a lucky charm-effect from Bernadeth Pons.
The Negrense last played for FEU in May, leading the program to their first UAAP Finals appearance in 10 years, where they fell to the De La Salle University Lady Spikers.
Pons was there again with the Lady Tamaraws when they made it to the PVL Collegiate Finals, albeit in spirit.
After FEU lost Game One of the semis to the University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses, Pons was in the audience, staunchly supporting the Lady Tamaraws in their Game Two and Game Three triumphs.
FEU head coach George Pascua said he had urged Pons to continue watching FEU matches.
“Swerte siya eh.
“Sabi ko sa kanya pagpatuloy niya lang ‘yung panonood sa amin. ‘Wag siya a-absent’,” quipped Pascua.
For her part, Pons was happy to witness the Lady Tamaraws win, are they are currently trying to find a new leader.
Pons knows that the current Lady Tams can more than fill in what she left.
“Masaya ako sa nilaro nila ngayon kasi pinakita nila ‘yung pagiging matured nila as a player,” the 21-year-old said, adding that she had given a pep talk to the Lady Tams last Thursday.
“Kasi noong Thursday night kinausap ko sila. Sabi ko sa kanila na maglaro kayo nang may pride sa sarili niyo kasi most of them, parang fifth playing year and fourth playing year, so mayroon na silang experience,” the now-Petron Blaze Spiker added. “Compared sa UST, medyo maraming baguhan na naglalaro sa loob ng court so sabi ko hindi niyo sila iu-understimate dahil mga first year, second year lang sila.
“Pero maglaro kayo nang may pride sa sarili niyo dahil mas senior kayo sa kanila. So, ‘wag kayong pumayag na basta-basta lang kayong malulusutan. so yun sabi ko lang.”
Now confined to a seat in the audience, Pons still wants to help the team as much as she can.
“Wala na kong magagawa doon. Tapos na talaga ako so ‘yung matutulong ko na lang sa kanila ngayon, magbibigay na’ko ng advice kung ano ‘yung pwede kong maitulong sa kanila, ‘yun na lang yung gagawin ko kasi hindi na talaga ako makakapaglaro kahit anong gawin ko,” she said.
When the UAAP season ended, Pons was offered a spot on the FEU coaching staff, which she eventually turned down.
In the end, after she graduated and moved on to professional career, Pons still has FEU’s best interests in mind.
“Hindi ko siya tinanggap, hindi ako pumirma ng kontrata kasi parang sa five years ko sa FEU minsanan lang ako nakabakasyon. So, parang gusto ko ngayon makabakasyon ako nang mahaba, especially December,” she explained.
“Nakakahiya naman sa FEU kung sasahod ako tapos paalagi akong aabsent. So sabi ko hindi ako pipirma pero tutulong ako.”
