BEA de Leon owes the player she’s become today to Ateneo’s winning culture which she herself had a part in building.
In her view, such a nurturing home back in Katipunan had its foundations laid by her former UAAP champion teammate-turned-PVL champion teammate Alyssa Valdez.
READ: Bea de Leon fits right in to Creamline and its winning culture
“A lot of the things that honed us (came from) the UAAP. We have a lot to thank for in the UAAP - ‘yung spirit, ‘yung puso,” de Leon said.
“Coming from a culture rin in Ateneo which ate Ly also built for us, it’s been the same for me (here in the pros). Talagang pusuan, labanan, school pride. The UAAP has been one of the best journeys. Sobrang saya sa UAAP.”
BDL won two UAAP championships with the Blue Eagles (nee, Lady Eagles) — the first of which she shared in her rookie year in Season 77 (2015) with now-fellow Cool Smashers Valdez, Ella de Jesus, and Denden Lazaro-Revilla.
To be part of the blue-and-white's nearly decade-old dynasty at the time has been her greatest honor.
“Graduating in Ateneo, grabe ‘yung blessing na ‘yun, to be blessed after the career that we had and then graduate on your last year with a championship,” de Leon shared with SPIN.ph.
“Obviously, it doesn’t happen to everybody, so sobrang saya ko no’n.”
BDL, a winner through and through
Fast forward to exactly a decade later, and the former UAAP Finals MVP is now a Grand Slam winner and three-time PVL champion with Creamline.
Over a year since her blockbuster move from Choco Mucho, de Leon’s volleyball career has skyrocketed to heights she would’ve never imagined possible.
“With the Grand Slam, again, I would have never thought I’d be part of anything that big or be deserving of anything like that,” BDL said.
“I’m just so grateful again for the home that I found in Creamline and for my teammates who have really, really helped me get my confidence back and showed me the best that I can be.”
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