POLOMOLOK, South Cotabato — Long before she became one of the Premier Volleyball League’s dependable outside hitters, Tin Tiamzon was just a little girl from nearby Koronadal, tagging along to volleyball practices at Notre Dame of Marbel University while still wearing her school uniform.
Tiamzon lived in Koronadal from birth until she was eight years old. It was there that she first fell in love with volleyball, often joining training sessions led by her older sister, Aika — a former De La Salle Lady Spiker — who helped lay the foundation for the career that would eventually take her to the professional stage.
Two decades later, that journey has come full circle.
Although the PVL On Tour stop is in Polomolok, about 40 kilometers from Koronadal, returning to South Cotabato still feels like a homecoming for the 29-year-old Tiamzon.
“Siyempre, masaya. Malapit lang talaga yung hometown namin,” Tiamzon said after being swarmed by fans and happily posing for photos during the welcome dinner hosted by the Municipality of Polomolok on Thursday.
“So the fact na makakanood sila Kuya ng live, and yung mga tita ko, and also yung mga pamangkin ko, I’m excited na makita sila sa courtside and cheering us on,” she added.
That feeling of coming home became real the moment she landed in Mindanao.
Greeting the league contingent at General Santos International Airport was a giant tarpaulin promoting the PVL On Tour stop in Polomolok, with Tiamzon and her partner, Galeries Tower’s Shola Alvarez, among the featured players.
(C) PVL Images
The warm welcome continued when the league arrived at Club Kalsangi, where several of Tiamzon’s relatives were waiting to greet her.
The moment, she admitted, immediately struck an emotional chord.
“Well, kahit nung pag-land lang kanina sa airport, yung feeling na parang, ‘Oh wow, I’m home.’”
As special as the homecoming has been, it also comes at a time when Tiamzon is embracing a new chapter in her career.
Following the disbandment of Cignal after the previous PVL season, Tiamzon joined Akari, which will take on Choco Mucho on Saturday. The move meant leaving behind the team she had called home for years.
Now, instead of returning to South Cotabato with her former teammates, she is creating new memories with a new family that welcomed her with open arms.
“I’m thankful na Akari accepted me into their family and also really welcomed me into their system and their team. And I’m forever grateful na kinuha nila ako,” said Tiamzon, who is set to play just her second preseason game with the Chargers.
“And also, I’m excited for this new chapter kasi syempre, yung new system na matututunan, new teammates to bond with, and then also yung mga experiences din na hindi talaga mauulit. So yeah, I’m excited for this new journey kasi I’m still excited to grow as well as a player under Coach Tina,” she added.
While the South Cotabato stop is a full-circle moment for Tiamzon, she hopes it also becomes the start of someone else’s volleyball journey.
Inspiring the next generation carries deeper meaning for the three-time UAAP champion because she knows firsthand how far a dream that began in South Cotabato can take someone.
“I think it’s a huge part of growth sa volleyball dito sa Philippines. Kasi syempre, when visiting yung mga smaller towns or smaller cities, parang nakikita din ng younger generation, ‘Oh wow, I can aspire to be a professional athlete in this field,’” said Tiamzon.
“Maganda siya for future generations.”
