DES Cheng admitted it was tough to leave coach Ramil de Jesus and F2 Logistics, but she wants to grab opportunities and explore what is on the other side with Choco Mucho.
Des Cheng on signing with Choco Mucho
After signing with the Flying Titans for the 2022 Premier Volleyball League’s season, Cheng bared how she came up with the decision in the social media accounts of They Write, Too.
When F2 Logistics completed its unbeaten title run in the Philippine National Volleyball Federation Champions League in Lipa, Batangas, the 25-year-old had to inform De Jesus and the Cargo Movers about the offer she received from the Rebisco-owned team.
She informed the Cargo Movers before their celebration festivities, which she described "necessary but far from easy," as one of the lessons she learned from De Jesus was:
“Kailangan mong ipaglaban kung ano sa tingin mo ang tama. Sabihin mo kung ano nararamdaman mo kasi pag kinimkim mo ‘yan, diyan nagsisimula ang conflict,” Cheng wrote.
“Before we started the festivities to celebrate winning Champions’ League last year, I took a chance and told him everything.”
The former La Salle star received the blessing of her coach from college to club league, her teammates and their fans.
“Coach Ramil said he wishes me well. He said he prays for a healthy Des in the years to come. He said he hopes my new team takes good care of me because it would hurt him to witness if they didn’t,” Cheng said.
“Of course they wanted me stay but they get it. They hugged me. Then they let me go. Up until the very end, the most valuable thing I kept receiving from this team-turned-family, far more valuable than the trophies and the medals we won together, is understanding,” she added.
Cheng will forever be grateful to her teammates and coaches from La Salle to F2 for giving her life direction.
“Ngayong aalis na ako sa Taft, lalabas akong alam ko pa rin lahat ng alam ko noong pumasok ako. Mas marami na nga lang akong alam ngayon. Mga skills na magagamit ko sa laro. Mga lessons na ma-apply ko sa buhay. At mga experiences to remind me that an archer’s aim is more accurate when her feet are both properly planted on the ground,” she said.

Cheng, who was named 2017 UAAP Finals MVP when La Salle beat Ateneo in the finals, now teams up with former rivals Kat Tolentino, Maddie Madayag, Bea de Leon, Deanna Wong and Ponggay Gaston in the 2022 Open Conference tentatively set in February.
“It’s about time to explore what is on the other side. Now is best time to grab opportunities because we will never get younger than we are today. It’s gonna be fun. And wild. And hard. And (hopefully) worth it,” Cheng said.
“Pero Lord, sana, sana lang, kung puwede lang, Wag naman sana mabwisit sa akin mga bago kong teammates pag nakita nila ako dahil sa pinaggagagawa ko sa kanila dati. But I know that’s all in the past now.”
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