SANTIAGO CITY, Isabela — The years keep adding up, the next generation keeps getting younger, and the body that has carried Jema Galanza through a decorated career demands a little more care with every passing season.
But the Creamline star is not ready to let time dictate how much longer she can keep up.
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In nearly a decade, Galanza has already collected 11 championships with the Cool Smashers, along with a shelf of individual honors.
Yet for all the accolades, the veteran outside hitter knows that staying relevant in a sport that never stops evolving requires more than experience.
“Nakaka-challenge kasi ’yung mga bata. Siyempre, medyo malayo ka na sa generation ng mga bata ngayon, so iisipin mo kung ano ba ’yung nagagawa nila at ano ’yung kaya kong gawin para makasabay,” she told SPIN.ph.
The challenge is no longer just about keeping pace with younger legs or matching the explosiveness of rising stars. It is also about knowing her body, protecting it, and making every season count.
“Mas tinututukan ko rin talaga ’yung skills ko at health ko. Tumatanda na, mas mabilis nang mabuo ang injuries, at iba na rin ’yung recovery. ’Yun talaga ’yung mas pinagfo-focusan ko para mas makasabay ako sa ibang games at sa ibang players,” she added.
New grind, same desire
Nine years later, it now becomes a different kind of work for a player who has spent years helping Creamline build its dynasty.
The trophies tell one story. Her approach to longevity tells another.
For Galanza, the goal extends beyond remaining competitive or adding another championship to her collection. She wants the people who watch her play to feel the same affection for volleyball that has kept her going through the years.
“’Yun naman ang goal natin, na mahalin tayo dahil mahal ko ’yung volleyball. Sana nag-e-enjoy sila. Hindi lang naman ako, siyempre, kundi ’yung buong Creamline Cool Smashers. Natutuwa ako na lagi nila kaming gustong panoorin,” she said.
That connection, built over seasons of triumphs, setbacks, and comebacks, is part of what makes her continued presence meaningful.
The younger generation may bring a different pace and a new set of challenges, but Galanza still has something worth sharing with the fans who have followed her journey.
After all these years, she has learned that longevity in professional volleyball is not simply about how long a player can stay on the court. It is also bout remaining healthy enough to compete, finding ways to improve, and holding on to the joy that made the grind worthwhile in the first place.
“Sobrang tagal ko na naglalaro ng volleyball, kaya ang masasabi ko lang, basta healthy ako, ok ako,” she said.
For a champion who has already won so much, that may be the simplest measure of success left: staying healthy, staying in love with the game, and giving herself more reasons to stay the course.
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