The sun has set on their breakthrough Season 71, and they have grown by leaps and bounds. As they return to the ball field for new battles, Ateneo softball beauties Maiki Abello, Chabeli Campa, Tiffany Mathay, and Ina Yulo take time to talk to The GUIDON about the sport they love, growing up together, and being best friends forever.
L-R Chabeli Campa, Tiffany Mathay, Maiki Abello, Ina Yulo | Photo by Mark G. Tiu
Started out swinging
Their clique goes way back, having met in their early elementary years in Saint Pedro Poveda. Ina recalls accidentally meeting the other three in second grade as she was looking for someone to eat with. She would eventually become the one to introduce them to softball.
Coming from a baseball-loving family, Ina, the pitcher, first played the sport at eight years old, and she got the other three to be interested as well. Chabeli, who plays first base, hesitated in the beginning, saying, “I was scared to tell my mom at first. I had art classes.” But she eventually got into it, and Maiki, the outfielder, followed in sixth grade.
“I played because they were playing, and they said it was fun. And our other friends were playing, so they said I should try,” says Maiki.” Tiffany, who plays second base and outfield, on the other hand, was initially busy with gymnastics, and only picked up the sport in their freshman year of high school.
Softball was what strengthened their bond. In their four years of high school, they all played for Poveda’s softball team. “We’re kind of forced to be with each other all the time,” says Maiki. Ina admits it, saying that they all grew closer along with their passion for the sport.
When it came time for college decisions, Tiffany and Chabeli actually almost went to La Salle because of their families, but destiny brought them all together in Ateneo.
The sisterhood
Off the field, the four are like sisters. You can usually catch them in school eating together, and they even have the same classes at times. It’s been said that sisters have the best love-hate relationships, and their sisterhood is a testament to that claim.
The four recall their trip to Europe last summer as their most memorable experience together. Chabeli says they fought about food, money, and the simplest things.
“It’s nice because when we’re mad at each other, it’s not a long drawn out drama,” says Chabeli. “We can tell each other if we’re mad at each other. We’re so honest with each other.”
The other three agree with Chabeli, who they say is both the baby and the mother hen of their group. Among the four of them, she gives off an affectionate aura.
But in the case wherein Chabeli’s the baby, Tiffany is the one who holds ground. As the tallest one in the group, she exudes the most confidence, intimidating yet alluring. The other three call her as the loud one, even scary to a point.
Maiki seems to be Tiffany’s subtler version. “She thinks she’s the nice one but she’s really the sarcastic one,” says Tiffany. “Ina’s the responsible one, she’s the nerd.”
As a foursome, their chemistry is wonderful, seemingly complementing each other. They’re always together, whether they are enjoying sleepovers, travelling, or creating home-made videos.
Because of them, even their parents became good friends. Like four corner pillars to a structure, they are each other’s strength, and one cannot be missing.
Onto the field
When it comes to playing together, their relationship off the field translates to better team chemistry, and it ripples to the rest of the team.
“Our teammates are like our bigger barkada, outside the four of us. If something goes well, you have someone to celebrate with. If something goes wrong, you’re not alone in the sorrow. If I do bad, I don’t feel as bad, because they’ll also be there to support me,” says Ina.
It’s a matter of trust and knowing each other’s strengths and weaknesses. They feel that being friends is very important in order to become good teammates.
They have been on the same softball team since freshmen year, which adds up to seven straight years of playing with each other. “You trust the people off the field, so it’s easier on the field,” says Maiki. “You understand each other without talking.”
Indeed, they look like they’re doing something right. Big things are expected of these ladies in Season 72, and they face it bravely, with confidence in the mixture of their perseverance on the field and their friendship off the field.
Looking ahead
For Maiki, Chabeli, Tiffany, and Ina, the future looks bright, with nothing stopping them from staying friends. They even want their children to be friends, and even if the future creates distance between them, they won’t let it get in the way.
“I don’t think we’re gonna stop being friends after college,” says Maiki. “I don’t know how I can meet other friends who are gonna be the same as them,” Ina adds.
This sisterhood has certainly stood the testament of time, and while they are still juniors, these ladies are already thinking about life after college and softball. So don’t be surprised if these girls end up living in their own suburban bubble like Wisteria Lane.
