ALYSSA Valdez has met many coaches in her career, but Roger Gorayeb will always be key in her origin story.
Gorayeb, a figure who needs no introduction, had always seen something special in Valdez - even during a time when only a handful even had eyes on her.
As it turns out, though, there was someone else who paved the path for Valdez to showcase her skills on the big stage and under the bright lights roughly two decades ago.
And here’s how it unfolded:
Around 2009, when Gorayeb was head coach of Ateneo, he spotted a plain Jane with promising potential, wearing a University of Santo Tomas girls’ jersey somewhere in Batangas.
He was quick to tell himself, and the girl, “Babalikan kita pag magko-college ka na.”
Then he went on with his usual merienda at a small lomi house across from La Salle Lipa.
There were no other plans. All Gorayeb had was a gut feeling that this kid was different.
Roger's glimpse of the future
Years passed, and Gorayeb kept watching. The young Valdez never disappointed.
Strangely, he seemed to be the only one noticing - in his own recollection, at least.
“Ibang klase ang attitude ng batang ’to. Laban kung laban. Kahit nakahandusay na sa court, tatayo pa ’yan. Wala siyang special, napakasimpleng player lang niya. Gut lang talaga,” he shared with SPIN.ph.
By the time Valdez played her final high school game, Gorayeb, coaching the then-Lady Eagles' Fab Five, was still on the lookout for a centerpiece.
“Nahingi ko yung address sa ibang coaches sa Batangas na kakilala ko. Turo-turo lang. Pinuntahan ko sila sa bahay, sa Palayukan. Tanda ko, it was before Holy Week break. Kinausap ko sila ng tatay niya. Eh ang recruitment noon, wala ka naman mai-offer kundi scholarship, pero ang ibang gastusin ay sagot ng player,” he recalled.
Gorayeb laid his cards on the table. On Easter Sunday, Valdez’s father, Ruel, flipped one over. And it was bad news.
“Linggo, tumawag sa'kin tatay, ‘Coach, hindi talaga naming kayang pag-aralin sa kolehiyo si Ineng,’” he recalled.
Ruel and his wife, Pablita, earned modest provincial wages.
Disheartened but not defeated, Gorayeb asked one more time, "Sir, sabihin niyo po magkano ang kakailanganin.”
Alyssa always worth it
With a figure in mind, he called Ricky Palou, Ateneo’s athletic director at the time - and now-PVL president - to negotiate.
“Sir, 5,000 pesos,” he said.
“Is she worth it?” Palou asked.
“Sir, ito ang gagawin kong sentro ng volleyball sa Ateneo,” Gorayeb replied.
Ateneo could only offer a maximum of 3,000 pesos.
Palou, sensing Gorayeb’s persistence, agreed to cover the remaining 2,000 pesos from his own pocket.
“3,000 pesos from Ateneo, 2,000 pesos galing kay sir Ricky," Gorayeb said.
Five thousand pesos.
That was all it took to give Alyssa Valdez, the plain Jane with promising potential, her first shot on a bigger court — one of the earliest steps in a journey that would eventually make her the face of Philippine volleyball.
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