8 Moments You Missed from the Volleyfriends’ UAAP Volleyball Kick Off

By Jaime Gonzalo

On January 16, 2016, fans and fellows gathered at Buffalo Wild Wings in Estancia Mall, Capitol Commons to celebrate the Volleyfriends’ Volleyball Season Kick Off. Players Alyssa Valdez, Mika Reyes, Rachel Daquis, Ara Galang, Johnvic De Guzman and Peter Torres graced the venue and participated in the afternoon’s proceedings. There were games, a question and answer forum, and lots of great food.

The event’s casual and fun environment was the perfect breather before things get more intense. The kickoff ended with the captains lined up for pictures, which would be their last time standing beside (and not against) each other before the season officially starts. Here’s a peek at what you missed from the event.

8. The Guests

From fans to the athletes’ friends, the kickoff was a success with tons of people in full support. Some guests sat at the table of the participating universities and even joined the games. It was lots of great fun for both the players and their guests who got to play against other teams on an even playing ground–on a full stomach, to boot!

7. The Alumni Players

Even alumni showed support for their teams. Angge Tabaquero, an alumnus player of UST was bold to say that once you join the team, the support lasts a lifetime. She also added that even if she was already working, volleyball would always be in her blood. True enough, she joined in on the fun of the trivia games prepared for the teams.

6. The Food

Not only did Buffalo Wild Wings’ serve food as tasty as always, their service was also nothing short of great. Every few minutes, the staff of BWW would place a new batch of specialty wings on each of the tables for the guests to enjoy. They also served great chicken quesadillas and nachos to top it all off. It’s safe to say that at the end of the event, everyone was stuffed–the most enjoyable way possible.

5. The Sponsors

PLDT HOME Ultera was the perfect sponsor for the event as they handled it flawlessly. At the end of the event, everybody went home with limited edition UAAP 78 Volleyball items. You can look forward to other efforts like this kickoff event is just one of PLDT Home Ultera’s initiatives that promote the awesome sport of Volleyball.

4. The Team Spirit

Even with simple trivia games, the team spirit was at an impressive high. Occasional school chants would be heard in the middle of the chaos, adding to the competitive vibe. Some teams even made makeshift placards using their assigned whiteboards. With the competition close until the end, it was obvious that none of these teams were willing to lose without a good fight.

If this was a glimpse of the teams’ desire to win at the UAAP, then Volleyball fans have an intense season to look forward to.

3. The Trivia Game

The highlight of the event was the trivia game, which pronounced Adamson University as winner after a tiebreaker with Ateneo.
The last question of the game was, “In the movie, The Book of Life, how does Manolo defeat the Vengeful Toro Spirit?” Ateneo missed their opportunity to win by passing on the last question, leaving Adamson with a wide open chance to win the game. They took the opportunity and submitted the correct answer which was: “By singing.”

Adamson University took home the prize, P25, 000 worth of Volleyball equipment, which will be donated to their chosen local volleyball organization. As for the fans, they will get a complete set of tickets to all round 1 volleyball games. Now that’s what you call an ultimate fan experience!

2. The Buzz from the Q and A

There was one question that stood out in the Q and A portion before the games. The question was: “How many times does your team practice in a day?” Ateneo answered first stating that they practice twice a day for six days, making it 12 practices a week. Every time the emcee would ask another team, they would always answer by stating they train one session more than the previous. It was obviously a ploy from the teams not to let the other teams get the better of them.

It was interesting to see because it just proves that none of these teams want to show weakness, and that all of these teams will not settle for less than the crown.

1. The Players

All the captains graced the venue for the event, accompanied by some of their teammates. They blended in normally with the rest of the crowd, laughing and eating with everybody else. They showed humility and camaraderie by socializing with competing universities and being friendly with the guests. There was a lot of mutual respect shown between the universities and no bad blood was evident.

All in all, it was a good day of clean fun, showcasing that these athletes aren’t only all-out in court, but are also all-out at home.