THE end of Kianna Dy’s 559-day recovery marked the start of a new chapter together for La Salle’s UAAP Season 78 champion quartet which features her, Majoy Baron, Kim Fajardo, and Mika Reyes, now all with PLDT.
When F2 Logistics disbanded in late 2023, Dy, Baron, and Fajardo made a pact to move to a new PVL team together.
It then took roughly a month for this inseparable Lady Spikers trio to find a new home as High Speed Hitters with their ate Yeye.
While Baron and Fajardo got to work in the red-and whites-not long after, KKD had to keep working on rehabilitation and recovery.
READ: KKD happy to finally be back after a year and a half on the shelf
That's why when Dy took the taraflex once more last Tuesday, Baron and Fajardo had the biggest smiles on their faces.
“Nakaka-excite and ang laking bagay na nakita ko pa lang siyang naka-jersey, big deal na. Nakaka-boost na agad ng morale. Siyempre, one and a half years na wala siya. Nakaka-miss and sana, mas ma-feel niya pa ‘yung court in the future,” Baron said.
Fajardo added: “Masaya kami na nandyan na siya. Pero siyempre as a team, marami pa ring kailangang i-polish since kakabalik niya lang. Marami pang dapat kailangan na ma-feel namin na connected kami as team.”
As Dy rediscovers her peak form, Baron and Fajardo are banking on their instant chemistry - thanks to nearly a decade of playing together in the college ranks then the pros - to work wonders for PLDT.
“Advantage siya kasi alam na namin ‘yung skillset ng bawat isa at mas connected kami. Overall naman, madali naman din i-connect ‘yung ibang teammates, so ‘di mahirap. Extra boost na lang din na matagal na kaming magkakasama,” said Baron.
“Hindi naman sa hinahanap namin ‘yung dating connection kasi nasa ibang team naman na kami ngayon at iba na rin ‘yung laro namin, pero ang sarap sa feeling na magkakasama kami ulit,” Fajardo explained.
“Galing kami sa iisang sistema at maa-apply namin kung ano ‘yung naging tradition namin doon. Lahat ng good things, good habits na nakuha namin noon, maa-apply din namin sa team.”
KKD's shoulders to lean on
In those trying times when all hope seemed lost for KKD in a long and winding road back, two of her closest pals made sure to be there for her every step of the way.
"‘Yung pangangamusta lang talaga kasi curious din kami kung paano na ‘yung progress niya. Nakikita rin namin minsan na nasa-sad siya kasi siyempre, ang tagal na panahon niyang nagre-rehab lang and hindi nakakapag-court," said Baron.
"Nandu’n din kami sa journey with her kahit hindi namin siya masyadong nakikita kasi iba ‘yung rehab place niya. Nandu’n lang din ‘yung support namin at hinihintay lang din talaga namin siya."
From their mere presence to pieces of advice, having dealt with injuries of their own, the PLDT duo refused to let Dy walk alone back on the taraflex where she belongs.
"Mas kailangan ng pasensya kasi ‘yung injury naman, depende kung anong meron ka. Meron kasing injury na after ng surgery, wala na. Merong after ng surgery, nandyan pa rin, hindi siya nawawala," Fajardo said.
"Kailangan lang maka-adapt din ng katawan na mag-high intensity sa games at training, at masanay ka na lang din sa sakit siguro kasi part siya ng training, part siya ng games, sa kahit anong aspeto pa ‘yan."
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