Looking to enter the Premier Volleyball League? Here’s what seasoned athletes Mika Reyes, MJ Phillips, Tots Carlos, Kat Tolentino, and Jules Samonte have to say to aspiring PVL players
Everyone knows that sports is a cutthroat field. To succeed, you’ll need help along the way to guide you in making the right decisions. With that in mind, we asked seasoned athletes in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) to give advice to aspiring volleyball players on how to succeed. In particular, we interviewed Mika Reyes and Jules Samonte of the PLDT High Speed Hitters, Filipino-American Mar-Jana “MJ” Phillips of the Petro Gazz Angels, Tots Carlos of the Creamline Cool Smashers, and Filipino-Canadian Katrina “Kat” Tolentino of the Choco Mucho Flying Titans. Read ahead for what each had to say.
Mika Reyes
Team captain Mika Reyes’ ultimate advice is to “play a lot of volleyball.” According to her, you’ll inevitably learn more when you play more since the game and your opponents provide a learning opportunity. Aside from that, she emphasizes getting proper training so that you can be healthy enough to reach greater heights. She added, “Sabi nga nila, ‘hard work works,’ so always put in the necessary work to improve yourself.”
RELATED: Inside the Mind of Team Captain Mika Reyes
MJ Phillips
MJ Phillips, the middle blocker for the Petro Gazz Angels, says to never give up no matter how many times you get told “no.” According to her, nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself and give it your all. This means putting yourself outside of your comfort zone and aspiring for growth. But before that, she said getting physically in shape and eating healthy is a great start, and taking care of your mental health is a big part of the game so that you don’t get burnt out easily. “Not being mentally tough can affect your performance for sure,” she added.
RELATED: Petro Gazz Angel Mar-Jana Phillips is Just Getting Started
Tots Carlos
Opposite hitter for the Creamline Cool Smashers, three-time PVL MVP, and 2023 SEA Games national team member Tots Carlos emphasized two things: being disciplined and coachable. While working hard is a big part of it, she also said that volleyball coaches appreciate players that can listen and follow the rules of the coaches and the program. “Being coachable is the most important thing for me when you play volleyball,” she said.
Kat Tolentino
Opposite hitter for the Choco Mucho Flying Titans and 2023 SEA Games national team member Kat Tolentino said aspiring players should focus on being disciplined. She also said that the most important thing for young athletes to understand is that the volleyball level is becoming a lot higher here in the Philippines and that everyone is willing to work hard. So it’s the people who are disciplined and who can consistently do that for a long period of time are the ones who are successful. And this discipline needs to shine through in everything from training to their daily routine and how they take care of themselves.
Jules Samonte
Last but not least, Jules Samonte, opposite hitter of the PLDT High Speed Hitters, said her number one advice is to never give up on yourself. “It’s not every day that you wake up feeling motivated or feeling your best self. Just take it one day at a time and don’t be so hard on yourself,” she began. “If things are going to improve, you’re the one responsible for making it happen,” she added. With that, she advised aspiring PVL players to know their priorities and focus on time management.
Featured Image: JULES SAMONTE (via Instagram)
