CAPITAL1’s up-and-down start isn’t something rookie spiker Bella Belen is used to.
Not too long ago, Belen-led National U was a perennial powerhouse from high school to college. She won four out of her five title shots as a Lady Bullpup before carrying over the same sort of dominance as a Lady Bulldog, making the finals in all four of her seasons, and coming out on top also all but just once.
That championship culture hasn't followed Belen just yet with the Solar Spikers, as they currently have a 2-2 standing, with her chipping 11 points and 14 digs in their most recent victory vs. Cignal.
READ: Capital1 pulls off straight-sets stunner against Cignal
But Belen isn’t sweating it, as dynasties - like the one she had helped build in Jhocson - take time.
“Sa NU naman po kasi, hindi naman kami gumising na lang tapos panalo na kami agad. Kumbaga, tinrabaho namin siya ng ilang years, then ng ilang months. Talagang pukpukan sa training bago namin nakuha na lagi kami panalo,” she said.
Though Belen’s arrival as the first overall pick did signal the dawning of a new day for Capital1, she's the first to remind everybody that good things take time.
“With Capital1 naman, I mean, ang laki ng potential ng team. 'Pag tinignan, player by player or as a team, talagang sadyang kailangan pagtrabahuan siya. And ayun, we're getting there naman, and I'm very happy,“ she said.
“Kahit na hindi kami lagi panalo, nakikita ko yung growth ng team namin.”
Bella's competitive fire still burns
Though much of NU’s dominance could be attributed to Belen, the first-ever rookie-MVP in UAAP women's volleyball, there is, of course, a learning curve that the first-year pro is still battling through.
“Siyempre, paunti-unti pa din po nag-a-adjust kasi ibang sistema na ngayon eh. I'm very happy kasi nakukuha ko naman siya paunti-unti," she said.
“Mayroon pa naman mga next games. So hopefully, ma-adapt ko na talaga yung sistema ni coach Jorge [Souza de Brito] and ni Capital1.”
What followed the Alas Pilipinas mainstay, though, is her competitive fire, one she hopes she spreads to the rest of the Solar Spikers.
“Ako, as a competitive player talaga, gusto ko lagi ako nag-i-improve or lagi yung team ko umaangat. So nakakatulong siya sa akin and sa team namin kasi nashe-share ko naman paunti-unti yung fire ganyan, as a fighter ganyan," she said.
“So ayun, malaking bagay siya sa akin kasi yung mindset ko din, hindi ako basta-basta bumibigay kasi may gusto akong makamit.”
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