DESPITE a number of setbacks including a season-ending injury during her freshman year, Samantha Ramos played an integral role for the Ateneo lady shuttlers as they claimed silver in the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 79. The sophomore shuttler went straight back into full force for her team, as she displayed her singles expertise in stunning fashion over the course of her official UAAP debut season.
Though her commendable UAAP performances would indicate otherwise, Ramos admits that badminton was not her first sport. “Football was my first sport. My mom didn’t like that I was always with guys and that I was exposed to the physicality so, since my mom played badminton, she shifted me to badminton and I found my passion there.”
As her passion for the sport intensified, Ramos decided to pursue a competitive career, playing for Assumption Antipolo before donning Blue and White for Ateneo. The lady shuttler managed to collect a number of accolades during her high school stay, rounding off her four-year stint with a gold in the 2015 Southern Tagalog CALABARZON Athletic Association Meet and a bronze in Palarong Pambansa in the women’s singles category.
Despite Ramos’ enthusiasm to represent Ateneo in UAAP Season 78, the lady shuttler was had to wait until her sophomore year after sustaining an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury during a training session in Malaysia during the off-season.
In spite of this setback, Ramos remained determined to regain her fitness and skill levels ahead of Season 79.
“I set a time-table for myself. After three months, I had to get my endurance back. After another three months, I had to get my skills back. After not [touching my racket] for months, I had to bring back the touch, the feel, the endurance,” explained Ramos.
Just as Ramos grew into her stride, misfortune struck once more, this time through illness. “After a while I finally got my groove, but I felt it stopped because I got dengue two weeks before [the UAAP season opener] along with Trixie [Malibiran]. It was pretty frustrating,” says Ramos.
On her maiden UAAP performance, Ramos says that she in particular could have done more to help the team, singling out her singles match in the third finals team-tie against reigning champions University of the Philippines (UP).
“My overall performance was okay but I think I could’ve done better, especially in game three of the finals. Everything was there, the skills, the endurance. My mind was the problem. My mom and coach told me that [I was not really playing] my game,” laments Ramos.
With season 80 on the horizon, the lady shuttler is looking forward to bringing the gold home. “It’s been three years [of silver finishes]. I don’t think it’s impossible for us to get the gold. We’re really close. Every year, there’s an improvement but we really have to focus,” says Ramos.
