FOR seven years, Jaja Santiago-Minowa made a name for herself in Japan by measuring up against some of the best volleyball players the world has to offer.
But playing overseas also came with a reality Santiago-Minowa rarely got to escape: the bar kept getting higher.
READ: US-bound Jaja feels itch to complete 'unfinished business’ at Creamline
Across stints with three different teams in the Japan SV.League, the towering middle blocker won a league title and two Best Middle Blocker awards. Yet even with those accomplishments, the demands of playing abroad could sometimes make her question where she stood.
“It’s really good to play back here in the Philippines kasi playing in Japan, parang laging ang tataas ng kasama mo,” she shared of a chat she once had with her sister, Choco Mucho ace Dindin Santiago-Manabat before her PVL return.
“Parang hindi mo alam kung nasaan ka na, hindi mo alam kung natututo ka pa ba. And playing here, I think mas nakukuha ko yung confidence ko sa paglalaro.”
The constant challenge of facing elite opposition in Japan, Santiago-Minowa admitted, could make the standard feel increasingly difficult to reach and surpass with each passing day, leading to moments when she began questioning herself.
That made her brief Creamline stint in the PVL Invitational more than just a stopover before another overseas foray.
It was a chance to rediscover the confidence and drive she needed before embarking on what could be the biggest chapter yet of her career.
And while she may not be bringing a championship or medal with her, Santiago-Minowa will take a second Best Middle Blocker award to the U.S., another reminder of what she can still do on the court.
Jaja-st do it
In 2027, her next destination is the League One Volleyball (LOVB), where she will suit up for expansion club San Francisco Signal.
The opportunity is massive, but so are the questions tied to it.
“Going to San Francisco, I'm kind of scared because I don't know kung ano y’ung magiging performance ko, kung ano yung made-deliver ko sa team, maibibigay ko for the team," she said.
“I’m getting the confidence playing back and I know that I'm ready, I’m in a good condition, and madadala ko ‘yung challenges, the learnings from the PVL Invitational and from my teammates.”
After seven years in Japan, Santiago-Minowa knows better than most that an overseas career is not simply about finding success in another country, but about constantly proving one's place on the big stage.
And as she prepares to take that next step in San Francisco, Santiago-Minowa is doing so with a renewed sense of belief, even if some uncertainty remains.
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