FOR Kim Fajardo, age and experience don’t automatically place veteran setters like her above the younger emerging playmakers.
In PLDT’s 25-18, 25-22, 25-17 sweep of Galeries Tower on Tuesday, the 32-year-old playmaker found herself on opposite side of the net with someone who had walked a similar path years ago in Julia Coronel.
READ: PLDT smacks Galeries Tower to inch closer to PVL qualifying round
Eight years younger than Fajardo, , and like the PLDT veteran, has had the chance to orchestrate plays for the Philippine women’s national team.
By the numbers, Coronel even edged the veteran in their setter duel, tallying 16 excellent sets, one more than Fajardo’s 15.
Still, the matchup carried a deeper significance for Fajardo, a meeting between generations of setters molded from the Lady Spikers’ lineage.
“Before pa mag-start ‘yung game, excited ako na makita ‘yung improvements nu’ng bata kasi Alas nga [rin siya] kaya happy akong nakatapat ko rin siya,” said Fajardo.
“Exciting pang makita kung ano pa ‘yung mga kaya niya pang ipakita.”
More than the statistics, Fajardo views encounters like these as opportunities for shared growth between the sport’s veterans and its rising playmakers. including the likes of herself and returning Creamline setter Jia de Guzman.
“For me, hindi siya ‘yung parang porket kami ‘yung veterans, kami ‘yung nasa taas palagi,” Fajardo said. “Lagi naman ‘yang bumabalik sa basics eh. Kailangan din naming matuto sa kanila. Exciting [sila makalaban] and siyempre, marami pa rin kaming dapat matutunan kahit mga veterans na kami.”
Not always a trend-hopper
One thing Fajardo continues to stress, however, is that she doesn’t feel the need to chase every new trend that comes with the evolving setter role.
With more 'scoring setters' emerging in the modern game, the veteran playmaker believes her responsibility remains the same. especially with PLDT boasting a spiker-heavy lineup led by the likes of Savi Davison and Kianna Dy.
For Fajardo, there’s little reason to carry the scoring load when her primary job is to orchestrate the offense and put her hitters in the best position to deliver.
Simply put, the seasoned setter still subscribes to a classic approach: playing smart rather than trying to overpower the game.
“‘Di naman ako necessarily kailangan sumabay sa trend na ganun, basta gusto ko lang makapag-contribute sa way na gusto ko at sa way na kaya ko,” she said.
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