JEMA Galanza was a surprise exclusion from Creamline’s stacked 20-woman lineup for the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference.
She was seen wearing a walking boot on her left foot in Creamline’s 25-20, 25-21, 17-25, 25-20 win over Petro Gazz on Tuesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The reason behind her shock absence was rather precautionary in nature to avoid what she described as a potential career-ending injury.
“‘Yung pain niya kasi, every game na after so sinabihan ko ‘yung PT ko na parang ‘di na siya normal. Pina-MRI ko na and may nakita nga sila,” Galanza said.
READ: Creamline gets on board after beating Petro Gazz in four sets
Back in the PVL Invitational last August, Galanza’s nagging pain on her left foot became a recurring sensation of discomfort.
It was one she felt sparingly over the last year but has now went beyond her pain threshold to a point where she had to hit pause on her career.
The timetable for her on-court return is indefinite simply because not much is known about the full extent of the pain she’s been experiencing.
“Wala pang [timetable] kasi mahirap siyang isugal dahil ‘di nga namin alam kung naghi-heal na ba siya or anong stage na ‘yung injury, kung pa-heal na or malala pa,” Galanza said.
“Nag-focus muna kami na mag-heal talaga nang buo at hindi ko rin alam kung gaano pa ako katagal naka-boot.”
And with risks as grave as never getting to play again, Galanza played it safe and smart with a long-term future in mind.
“As an athlete din, kailangan din naming isipin ‘yung longevity ng career namin. Hindi natin masasabi kung kakayanin ba ‘to o tatagal pa ‘to buong season. Mahirap na mas lumala pa siya so mas tatagal pa ‘yung recovery,” she said.
“Hindi rin natin alam kung ‘yung balik ko ba is 100 percent or mas okay ba," she added.
“‘Yun din ‘yung sabi sa’kin ng doctor na delikado rin if tinuloy ko kasi mas malaking chance na mag-end ‘yung career ko kung lumala pa siya.”
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
