SERVING the flag will always be Jovelyn Gonzaga’s top priority, even if it means taking on a tough balancing act between her concurrent duties with the Philippine Army and in the PVL.
At 33, her physical fortitude was put to the test as she and Choco Mucho’s Royse Tubino suited up in the Philippine Uniformed Services Sports League (PUSSL) while the PVL Reinforced Conference was already ongoing.
READ: In-form ZUS Coffee stays unbeaten with sweep of Petro Gazz
The PUSSL ran from Sep. 26 to Oct. 24. All four of ZUS Coffee’s matches fell within that window, with the 33-year-old Ilongga sitting out from PVL duties just once.
The esteemed Gonzaga-Tubino duo led Army to the women’s volleyball gold medal, besting all other subunits of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Representing the military means the world and more for Gonzaga. In fact, may it be on the taraflex or elsewhere, every chance she gets to serve for the Army also serves as a gentle reminder that she gets to realize her childhood dream of becoming a soldier.
“Nu’ng bata pa lang ako, gusto ko na talagang makapasok sa Philippine Army. Hindi ko na nga alam kung ano ‘yung course ko nu’ng araw,” Gonzaga shared with SPIN.ph.
“Nakita ko ‘yung ate ko dati sa CAT hanggang sa ‘yun na ‘yung naging pangarap ko na mag-trabaho sa Philippine Army. Thankful lang din ako sa Philippine Army sa suporta nila sa passion ko.”
And as a bastion of the old guard in Philippine volleyball, Gonzaga considers it a testament to her lifelong perseverance that despite countless injuries and adversities, both her mind and body still have something to prove at the highest level.
“Sa stage of my career na ‘to, o sabihin na nating sa edad ko, nakakasabay pa rin ako. Grateful, blessed and overwhelmed lang talaga ako sa mga nangyayari sa career ko hanggang ngayon,” she said.
Now riding on a franchise-best four-game unbeaten start, ZUS Coffee’s league resurgence has been powered by its young local core with just a few assists here and there from Gonzaga and the vets.
It even went the other way around as it was ZUS Coffee’s young wards who gave her all the support she needed as she served for the Army.
“Sobrang supportive ng ZUS management and even my teammates. Sila na ‘yung nagsasabi na ‘ate, okay lang, focus ka lang diyan at tapusin mo muna ‘yan’ kaya sobrang gaan din sa’kin ng lahat because of their support,” Gonzaga bared.
Tiring as it may all seem on paper, but Gonzaga only carries the desire of embodying professionalism at the highest level knowing that her years in the league are numbered.
“‘Yung commitment ko, gusto ko maramdaman ng team. Gusto ko na ma-feel ng team na nandyan nang ako for them. I will step up every time,” she said.
“Gusto ko lang din maka-contribute din every time para sa ikapapanalo ng teams ko. Wala na akong ibang naiisip pa kundi basta every single time, magsu-support ako and will always keep my heart there for them.”
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