TO THE casual observer, the all-rookie Ateneo Blue Eagles’ 2-5 record in the recently concluded University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 81 Beach Volleyball Tournament, which placed them in a three-way tie for fifth place, may seem like a dismal finish. But this young team comprised of freshmen Abai Llenos, Kurt Aguilar, and sophomore Zolo Ligot will only get better after facing a handful of veterans and seasoned players in their UAAP debut.

Filling in the shoes of mainstays Marck Espejo and Karl Baysa, the younglings showed glimpses of what the Ateneo Beach Volleyball Team can achieve in the years to come. Their inclusion in the tourney speaks volumes on Coach JP Pareja’s regard for them.

Shared journey to Loyola Heights

Before joining the Blue Eagles, Aguilar and Llenos played out their junior high school years in the University of San Jose Recoletos as an open spiker and De La Salle Lipa as a middle blocker, respectively.

The two 6’0” rookies made some noise in the high school competition, with Llenos taking the gold medal and Most Valuable Player honors in the inaugural Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. High School Beach Volleyball Championship while Aguilar was the best blocker from regionals in Calabarzon.

Despite being rookies now, the two marquee recruits are not unfamiliar with Ateneo culture. The pair’s journey to Loyola Heights began when they entered Ateneo Senior High School (ASHS) together in 2016. Now in college, their first assignment for the Blue and White was to fly high for the Season 81’s edition of the UAAP Beach Volleyball competition.

Transitions and adjustments

Amidst the changes between the collegiate and high school competition, Llenos acknowledges that adapting to the new system and rigorous training sessions was crucial in their development.  “It’s a good opportunity for us to improve our skills and have a better opportunity in college,” he said.

Aguilar expressed similar sentiments, recognizing just how hard their opponents in the UAAP are working. “The level of competition in college is much higher than in high school because all the teams are competitive,” he said. “They train everyday just like us, so when it comes to [the] UAAP, every team is prepared. It’s really a high-level competition.”

Aside from adapting to the college scene, the team also prepared for the technicalities of beach volleyball. From a hardcourt filled with six men, the pair had to adjust to the unstable flooring and the acres of space to cover on a similar-sized court. While Llenos did have minutes on the sand in high school, he also shares how much change he still had to undergo coming into the college system of beach volleyball. From a blocker in high school,  he was tasked to take a step back from the net and man the defense on the floor.

Unlike Llenos, this season was Aguilar’s baptism on the sands. As great as this opportunity was for him, it also put the rookie under a lot of pressure that eased only through training. “Nakakatakot siya. You just embrace it and see kung saan ka dadalhin ng ginagawa mo (It is scary, but you just have to embrace it and see where your work takes you),” he said.

Strong chemistry

Amidst the uncertainty of braving into a new tournament in an unfamiliar setting, team chemistry becomes all the more valuable. In that department, the team is nowhere near lacking. Llenos and Aguilar have been teammates and roommates for the past three years, which helps greatly with on-court coordination. Whenever their training is not enough and they need to discuss their game more, Llenos and Aguilar easily do so in the dorms.

During their senior year of high school, the two spent more time together as classmates, enhancing their sense of teamwork. “Being with each other everyday made us more comfortable with each other,” Aguilar said.  

Supporting the duo from the bench was Ligot, who rounds out the roster as the team’s reserve. Using substitutes in the outdoor game tends to be rare as the replacement of a player with the reserve is permanent for the rest of the season.  However, since the coaching staff is not allowed to sit with the team during beach volleyball matches, Ligot played a huge role as the mentor and instructor from the sidelines.

Having been the team captain of Llenos and Aguilar back in ASHS, the 6’2” sophomore was in a comfortable position to do so as he cherished suiting up with the rookies again.

Looking forward

After their performance in Season 81, Llenos promises all the fans of the Blue and White to “expect a better team and a better trio” in the future, as the team will definitely be preparing for next season much earlier than they did in this one. “Time and preparation goes a long way for anything really,” Ligot added. “This year, we’re all rookies and we’re all new to the system.”

However, Aguilar already predicts Season 82 to be a completely different fight for them when they come back to the sand with more experience. During their first time out, the boys were mostly testing the waters in terms of their partnership and movement, but now with a better feel of the sand, they’re bound do better next season. As these rookies continue to grow and bond, they’ll be an interesting group to watch both on the sand and on the taraflex.

With Season 82 far in the distance, Llenos, Aguilar, and Ligot have already been able to give the Ateneo faithful a taste of what’s to come in the Blue and White’s run in the 2018 Spikers’ Turf tourney. They will be looking to make a bigger impression when they enter the grand stage next semester in the UAAP Season 81 Men’s Volleyball Tournament.