Hometown: Quezon City
Occupation: writer, ABS-CBN
Position in Rugby: Prop (7s), Inside Center/8 (15s)
Why Rugby? What got you started?
I've always been involved in some form of semi-contact sports so it was a natural transition for me to go full-contact. I used to be a goalkeeper for all-male football clubs and also involved in flag football so getting hit was nothing new to me. Cassie Umali invited me to try the sport after we met at an Ultimate Frisbee league. After that, coach Matt Cullen invited me to tryout for the first ladies 7s team back in May 2010 after attending two sessions of Rugby 101.
What is your biggest accomplishment in Rugby?
To be part of the Lady Volcanoes that competed and won the B division in our first ARFU 7s tourney in Guangzhou, China in July 2010 was historic for me. Not only did we win four straight games in our division (against Korea, India, Laos and SEA games bronze medalist Malaysia), we also accumulated over 110 pts with ZERO points scored against us. It was unforgettable for me because not only was it my first time ever to play a full game of rugby, i also remember the insane amount of pressure building up after every game because we wanted a total shutout for that tourney! It set the bar for how far we can go in the sport and that's a feeling I bring with me to every tournament we competed in following that.
What one or two things do you currently do in your training that are keys to your success?
I think a big part of being physically effective in rugby lies is in the strength and conditioning training you do in-between practice sessions. Unlike other countries, the Philippines has only started learining about the sport for a little over two years now. Since our bodies aren't as conditioned to take that much impact, we really need to compensate by doing exercises to 'fortify' it.
Another key aspect in preparing for the sport is mental conditioning. In rugby, if you don't commit to a tackle whole-heartedly, the chances of injury will be bigger than if you were fully confident about what you are doing. I usually envision myself making big hits, breaking through tackles and scoring tries because it puts me in a winning mindset that (hopefully) translates during game time.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
It's hard to describe the exact feeling, but during international tournaments, the moment you step out to the pitch wearing a flag on your uniform and singing the national anthem, a big sense of national pride just comes over and I know I just want to do my best for everybody back home and make them proud to be a Filipino.
What do you want to say to girls who are just starting out or who are thinking of playing rugby?
People seem to generalize rugby as a rough sport. This is of course also true, but being tough enough to play it does not mean you have to be the biggest or strongest player out there. It's also about playing with heart and loving the sport. But you really gotta prepare your body for it. I cannot stress this enough. Especially if you want to play it for a long time, you need to work out and train regularly. Even if you have no idea of what its about, just come out with an open mind thats willing to learn and you'll enjoy it for sure
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