Her versatility on the volleyball court, along with her lengthy list of achievements, earned Cha Cruz-Behag the moniker Ms. Everything. Correction—perhaps she is now Mrs. Everything, considering that the 30-year-old beauty recently got married last February in a Francis Libiran gown.
To this day, Cha still feels that she hasn’t completely earned her nickname. “I don’t consider myself as talented as the other players,” Cha humbly says despite her status. “I wouldn’t even consider myself super experienced because it is my first time to play for the national team and first few times to play for the international arena.” Having said this, one might wonder why she tried out for the national team if she said she didn’t think she would make it in the first place. Her answer was simple: because her coach Ramil [de Jesus] encouraged her to. “I feel so honored to be a part of the line up. Now, I feel like I have to work extra hard because the new coaching staff doesn’t really know who I am. I’ve won a lot of games before, but of course it doesn’t end there. I’m looking forward to proving myself,” she says.
Cha adds that she enjoys the company of her new teammates, some of them who happen to be her old rivals during her years as a Lady Spiker for De La Salle University. “I know that maraming skills and life lessons na matutunan ko from them. It’s nice that we’re getting to know each other on another level, as teammates,” she shares.
To her, timing is everything. She is out there to prove that we should follow our own individual paths rather than constantly comparing ourselves to others. “I was given a chance to be here, to train with younger people who I learn so much from. Here, many people think you should retire in your 30s, but for other countries, it’s the age where one’s career peaks. I know I can still give my all,” she confidently says.
And where does Cha Cruz-Behag see herself in 5 years? “I got married recently and I’m just really happy that my husband supports where my career is going right now,” she says, lighting up. “We know this might not happen for a long time so if there’s an opportunity for me now, I will grab it. Because in a few years, who knows? I could be starting a family and maybe I would like to share my experiences with women who are going through the same life stage then. When you get older, your priorities change and that’s exciting. And for me right now, it’s volleyball.”
