MARY Angela Jackson had little expectations when she threw her name into the draft pool. She's a high school graduate, has a shallow secondary school volleyball record and certainly, no college experience to bandy around.
What she has, however, are the intangibles that teams are looking for, such as pluck, courage and the deep belief she can perform while learning the ropes.
These traits are what ZUS Coffee probably found in the 20-year-old, 5-foot-9, Jackson who the team picked second to last, the 28th, in the just-concluded 2025 PVL Rookie Draft.
Jackson, who studied at the University of the Philippines Integrated School , thought her name would never be called. She knew that if she would make it, it would be in the latter part of the draft.
But when name after name were called and the session moving inexorably to the end, Jackson started to feel dejected, thinking her jump from high school to the pros, the only one in the pool who had dared so, was going to be a failure.
READ: WHO WENT WHERE: Full list of players selected in 2025 PVL Draft
But moments after a career-defining jump was realized, Jackson was relieved to see that her ‘bold move’ had paid off.
“I’m very much relieved. I would say what I did was a bold move and I’m just relieved that I was chosen [by ZUS Coffee],” she said.
“This is a big jump so I would say na I have a lot of work to put in.”
While waiting to be selected, eight teams had already passed and ended their draft runs.
The nerves crept in fully for Jackson by then at the holding room adjacent to the main hall where the draft ceremony was being held.
Yet through it all, she did not lose hope that the stars would find away to align for her.
“Just very anxious po, but I kept on hoping po na sana [mapili] kahit po nakakakaba na kasi may nagpa-pass na po na teams so paunti na nang paunti yung pools,” Jackson said.
“Medyo nakakakaba po siyang experience, of course, since I’m one na the wala masyadong exposure but I’m so glad po that I took the step and very much thankful the opportunity.”
Setting precedence?
SPIN.ph asked Jackson on whether her high school-to-pros move would be a good precedent for players to follow.
While she didn’t give a definite yes or no, Jackson pointed out that any aspirant seeking to follow suit shouldn’t take such a decision lightly.
But when they do take the route she has taken. these players should have strong belief in themselves and above all, to think that anything is possible.
“I would say it’s a calculated risk. Kung sa tingin mo kaya mo, why not?
Jackson added: “Kumbaga bilog ang bola. It’s not always na you’ll be on the top. But of course, umiikot siya so you still have a chance to get to the next step or the next stage.”
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.
