EYA Laure wasted no time in her rookie campaign with Chery Tiggo, emerging as an ever-reliable offensive threat just like her University of Sto. Tomas days under the same head coach in Kungfu Reyes.
But in both her UAAP and ongoing Premier Volleyball League (PVL) stint, Laure took some unorthodox turns on the court by switching across her main position as outside hitter to an occasional opposite spiker and even taking on setter duties, at times.
Laure gave further insight into why Reyes has opted to put her on-court versatillity to the test in more than just a few instances thus far while staying open to such flexible changes throughout the course of the 2024 PVL season.
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"Si Coach Kungfu (Reyes) kasi, siguro hindi alam ng iba, pero siya na rin 'yung naging mentor ko since dati pa. So kung ano 'yung pinapagawa at nakikita niyo sa game, nabibigyan niya naman ako ng heads up and alam ko naman 'yung reason behind that kaya naman sometimes nagiging setter ako, sometimes nagiging opposite, sometimes nagiging open," said Laure.
"Sa mga sitwasyon kasi na 'yun, 'yun 'yung makakatulong sa team. 'Yun 'yung tingin niyang tama kong maging role. Siyempre tiwala ako sa kaniya. Binibigyan niya ako ng confidence sa sarili ko na kung anong role ‘man 'yung ibigay niya sa'kin, kaya kong gawin. At the same time, kailangan kong pagkatiwalaan lang din yung sistema niya," she added.
Embracing veteran assists
Having played alongside esteemed veteran aces such as Mylene Paat and her sister EJ, Laure will once again have the chance to team up with ex-F2 Logistics mainstays Ara Galang and incoming Chery Tiggo skipper Aby Maraño.
To have such a dynamic pair of experienced talents has been nothing short of fun and fulfilling for the 24-year-old hotshot.
"Actually naging magaan lang ['yung pagdating ni ate Aby and Ara] kasi nagpayakap din sila. Hindi naman naging challenge sa'min na makilala sila kasi sila mismo rin, nagpakilala sila at nakikipag-bond, lalo na si Tyang (Aby) kasi talaga nakasama ko na sa national team.
Laure added: "Si ate Ara (Galang) kasi ngayon ko lang po siya nakasama so nakikita ko siya paunti-unti na si ate Ara pala hindi siya tahimik talaga, maingay din pala ang isang Ara Galang."
And it goes without saying that Maraño and Galang have given the Crossovers a much-needed confidence boost in just roughly a month with the club.
"Mas confident kasi kumbaga, meron kaming taga-kalma. Si ate Ara, calm kasi siya. Meron din kaming leader na nadagdag, which is si Tyang Aby. Of course ,alam naman namin na 'yung grupo namin composed siya ng mga bata. So ngayon na may mga veterans na dumating, marami kaming matututunan sa kanila from their experience," said Laure.
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