Team
The loss of key veterans last year left the Ateneo Women’s Table Tennis team in deep water during Season 79, with the women ending their run at the bottom of the league. However, signs of promise show for Ateneo as the Lady Eagles embark on a journey to improvement in the new season.
Team Captain
Jane Dela Cruz
Back in action after two years away from the tables, Jane Dela Cruz hopes to make her presence by carrying the weight of leadership on the squad. The captain is confident that hard work and determination, along with ten years of experience, will be the pillars to guide her return to college athletics.
“Maybe [I feel like a rookie] a little because there a lot of new athletes from other schools [that] I’ve played with before. [I] just [have to] start from the bottom and train like a rookie.”
Hellari Calvo
Leading by example is a crucial factor for returning veteran Hellari Calvo, who aims to be a role model for the fresh recruits on the team. Calvo’s persevering outlook on athletic competition defines her optimistic view of the challenges that lie ahead in the upcoming season.
Beatrice Chua
No stranger to the pressures in the league, Beatrice Chua suits up for another campaign with a year of collegiate level experience under her belt. As a veteran, Chua knows that practice makes perfect and hopes to apply mastered techniques that she has learned through vigorous and productive training.
Joana Chen
Joana Chen enters her rookie year with her head held high, coming off a fruitful career as former St. Stephen’s High School Athlete of the Year. Although she faces the nerves that every rookie encounters, she is confident that she will be able to adjust and make a name for herself in the competition.
Sharmae Ong
Approaching the first test of her mettle in a new league, Sharmae Ong seeks to give her all in every training session and game. Battling the challenges of a new environment, the rookie has eight years of experience on her side that will be essential to the Lady Eagles’ goal of turning the tables.
Coach’s Corner
Mario Breiva
Despite the disappointing rankings of past seasons, coach Mario Breiva enters the new season with an optimistic mindset. Citing a lack of players last year as a thorn in the team’s side, Breiva is confident that his team is now more than capable of faring better in the league.
“Last year, ganun eh, kulang kami–anim lang players ko. Ang gagawin namin diyan, fight lang kami (Last year, it was like that. I only had six players. The only thing we could do was fight).”
