DANIVAH Aying's dream turned into reality almost a month ago.
And then it didn't.
But then, it did again.
It has been a roller-coaster ride for the Cebuana since becoming the last pick in the first-ever PVL Draft last July 9, when she was the lone talent not to hail from the UAAP or NCAA to hear her name called.
READ: PVL Draft last pick Danivah Aying's story is a tale of hope
Unfortunately, Aying did not receive a contract offer from Galeries Tower within the prescribed 15-day window following draft night, leaving her PVL dream in limbo.
As such, the 5-foot-6 spiker from University of San Jose-Recoletos was left to free agency.
Only, the signing window had already lapsed by then - and her hopes of playing in the pros were dimming.
Light shone through not long after, fortunately, through a process that was another first for the league: a 'special draft.'
Special draft rules
According to PVL commissioner Sherwin Malonzo, the little-known process was prompted by the fact that among the 23 drafted players, it was only Aying who did not receive an offer from the team that picked her.
“Du’n sa draft rules natin, each team is given 15 days to give an offer and a contract. So after 15 days, hindi sila nakapag-offer so nag-lapse na, kaya a few days later, cinonfirm namin sa lahat ng rookies kung sinong hindi naka-sign and apparently, it was only Aying,” Malonzo explained.
“We needed to organize a 'special draft' for Ms. Aying, pero since isa lang siya, hindi na namin ginawa ‘yung mag-pick pa. For the 'special draft,' we just followed the team standings, (starting) with ZUS and (last pick), Creamline. Si Galeries lang ang hindi pumili kasi sila ‘yung nagbitaw.”
Behind closed doors, the last pick of the PVL Draft then became the first and only selection for the 'special draft' by ZUS Coffee.
“Since isa lang siya, instead of organizing a closed door meeting with the teams, tinawagan na lang namin isa-isa, offering Ms. Aying. E sa unang tawag pa lang, um-ok na si ZUS. We informed the other teams that ZUS Coffee already acquired Ms. Aying," Malonzo detailed.
As Round 1 of preliminary pool play comes to a close, the PVL commissioner bared that Aying is already eligible to suit up for the Thunderbelles as soon as possible by citing the technicalities embedded within the league’s roster regulations.
“Yes, pwede na. Ang rules naman natin, pwede magdagdag ng player ang isang team kung first, dapat less than 20 (players on the roster) and second, either rookie or national player na discharged,” he said.
ZUS Coffee met both criteria as it only submitted a 14-strong roster at the start of the conference and only has 13 active players to date with No. 1 overall pick Thea Gagate still in the midst of her Alas Pilipinas duties.
With that, Aying's dream may very well turn into reality at long last when the winless Thunderbelles face off against Capital1 on Thursday at the Philsports Arena.
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