BEA de Leon has only lost five of her 37 matches with Creamline over the last 13 months.
Her best game in a Cool Smashers shirt saw the former Ateneo skipper lead the defending champions on all fronts with a 13-piece built on eight attacks, three aces and two blocks over Chery Tiggo on Thursday.
BDL might already be part of Creamline’s winning tradition, but her determination to be a meaningful presence to an already-stacked dynastic squad is fueled by countless heartbreaks in years and seasons past.
READ: Creamline sweeps Chery Tiggo for 18th straight PVL win
“Lahat ng finals na hindi namin nakuha from Ateneo to Choco (Mucho), that’s always been, I think for any player, masakit ‘yun definitely,” de Leon shared with SPIN.ph.
To this day, nothing has hurt de Leon more in her volleyball career than the many almosts and what-ifs she went through.
But what the Cool Smashers have taught her so far is to think, work and fight like a champion even if one has already reached the highest of highs.
Hence, sky should and will always be the limit for winning teams like Creamline and winning characters like her.
“Bago ako dito ngayon (sa Creamline), pero from the outside looking in, hangang-hanga ako sa mindset nila kasi kahit ganun na kataas ‘yung naabot nila, the work ethic is still so high. Ang taas ng disiplina, ang taas lagi ng level ng training,” de Leon said.
“Nakaka-motivate din ‘yun on my part na makita kasi despite all the greatness they’ve already done, it’s still one hundred percent all in as if hindi pa sila nananalo before.”
Now, de Leon finds herself in the best position one could land in — atop the pecking order.
It’s one she has no plans of letting go of, but one she’s eager to work so much harder for to deem herself worthy of the successes she’s had so far.
“Like what coach Sherwin (Meneses) said, mahaba pa (‘yung conference). It’s a nice place to be in now, pero mahabang-mahaba pa talaga ‘to at sobrang dami pa naming tatrabahuin.”
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