Although beach volleyball is not Aby Marano’s cup of tea, the multi-titled middle blocker hopes to learn more about the discipline when the Philippine Superliga Beach Volleyball Challenge Cup 2016 kicks off on Saturday.
“Knowing na I’m not really into beach volleyball ever since, but because of I was able to play sa ibang leagues, natututo ako ng pakonti-konti, tapos teammate ko pa si Danika Gendrauli na champion dito last year, coming to this league, expected ko na magiging competitive ang labanan,” Marano said Wednesday.
“Ang mindset ko ngayon, kailangan ko talaga matutunan yung basics ng beach volleyball. Sobrang ine-expect ko na it will be a competitive league for PSL. Nakita ko yung line-up ng teams, sobrang lalakas.”
Better known for her success in the indoor volleyball stage, Marano says she is eager to know more about how to approach beach volleyball games.
F2 Logistics’ Abigail Marano
“So inaaral ko ngayon yung mga diskarte. Mindset ko lang matuto ng matuto ng matuto hanggang sa magstart na yung liga, matuto pa rin ng matuto. Yun ang kailangan ko for the rest of the season,” Marano said.
Marano also shared that she almost suited up for La Salle in the UAAP Season 75 beach volleyball tournament, but her coaching staff did not want to risk injuries since during that time, it was only her and Mika Reyes as the main middle blockers for the squad.
Now given a chance to play beach volleyball, Marano hopes to do well.
“Definitely more of using your IQ talaga. Dalawa lang kayo, ayaw mong mapagod kayo ng kasama mo. Kailangan every single ball na ibibigay sa iyo, kailangan mo nang patayin. Tapos (sa indoor) sanay ako sa power hit, but here sa beach volley, pwede rin yung lagay lagay lang, drop, chop, so isa yun sa mga pinag-aaralan ko rin,” Marano said.
“Yung bilis din, yung agility sa buhangin. Iba sa indoor eh. Dito, mabigat sa yapak pa lang.”
Marano is set to team up with Danika Gendrauli for F2 Logistics. Gendrauli said Marano is learning fast in their practices, and she has the utmost trust in her teammate.
“Every training naman namin, sinasabihan ko siya kung ano ang dapat niya gawin para hindi siya mahirapan (mag-adjust). Kapag naglalaro kami, sinasabi ko, lagay niya doon o dito, nakikinig naman siya. Hindi siya mahirap turuan,” Gendrauli shared.
“Hindi ko pine-pressure yung sarili ko. May tiwala ako sa partner ko. Pag may tiwala ka sa partner mo, wala kang mararamdaman na pressure.”
Asked if fans will see her patented running spike on the sands, Marano says she will give it her best try.
“Actually tina-try namin yan pero napakahirap. Hindi siya madali. Tapos lulubog ka tapos isang paa lang,” she said.
