BEA Bonafe hardly got the starting nod during her college days with University of the Philippines and even as she transitioned to the PVL.
One reason being she wasn’t even a natural setter, to begin with.
But it was Tina Salak, all the way back from their glory days in high school at De La Salle-Zobel, who convinced her to take the playmaking route even before their paths crossed again at Akari.
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“It was very big leap kasi in high school, I was a middle blocker. From then on, after I graduated, coach Tina said to try being a setter. Ever since, that's like five years past na po yun,” said Bonafe.
“I went to Creamline, and si coach Tina pa rin nagsasabi sa’king ‘mag-setter ka, kaya mo yan, kaya mo yan.”
Salak honed Bonafe’s net defense back in their Season 81 juniors’ title romp that halted powerhouse National University-Nazareth School’s four-year reign.
She went on to re-route the 23-year-old’s career, given how she believed that there’s more to a 5-foot-8 Bonafe than staying on the shadows of the country’s up-and-coming middle blockers.
“Sabi ko kasi sa kanya, parang nasa shadow siya. Nasa shadow siya ng ibang tao,” the veteran setter said.
“When she came sa Akari, in-unlock ko yun. Sinabi ko, you have to be yourself. Not just parang i-imitate mo yung gusto mo, ‘yung taong gusto mo. Hindi mo makikita yung best mo because you're thinking yung ibang tao ‘yung niro-role mo.
“Sinabi ko sa kanya, ibahin niya lahat. Lahat ng ideas niya, lahat ng forms niya, yung techniques niya, ibahin niya para makita niyo sino talaga si Bea. ‘Yun ‘yung una-una ko sinabi sa kanya.”
Bea's first of many
And in her first PVL start after over a year, one where she had 14 excellent sets to send Akari to the 2025 PVL on Tour quarterfinals, it was a moment of sheer euphoria she won't ever forget.
"It feels like I won a championship. Ganun 'yung feeling. Sobrang saya po and hindi ko magagawa 'yon kung wala sina coach tsaka sina ate kasi lahat sila naniwala po sa'kin," Bonafe said.
"I was able to break through today because of my teammates. Lahat ng bola na binibigay ko sa training, ina-adjust nila. Kahit anong bola yan, kahit pagod na sila, adjust pa rin, adjust hanggang makuha ko yung confidence ko.
"Yung breakthrough na to, dahil sa mga ate ko at dahil din sa coaches."
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