Asian Studies 101

Asian Studies 101

Volleyball, independence, and life’s lessons on and off the sand court with Asia Urquico

by rick olivares

One of the compliments that Asia Urquico frequently hears is, “I can’t believe that you’re taking up biology and are an athlete at the same time.”

She seems somewhat embarrassed by the assertion but she never lets on. Instead she probes with her expressive eyes trying to figure out if someone’s bullshitting her or its genuine ignorance about the travails of a student-athlete.

Asia’s cautious. She has to be when she refuses to let herself get hurt again.

The Christian Legacy Academy in Baguio isn’t any hotbed for indoor volleyball but she impressed former Ateneo Program Head Louie Gepuela to warrant an invitation to go to the big city.

It isn’t like she’s a stranger to Manila for she went to St. Scholastica’s Manila, where she became a teammate of Fille Cainglet who is now with the Ateneo Women’s Volleyball Team. But because of her father's work her family decided to relocate back to Baguio hence her going to CLA.

By the time she made Ateneo, Gepuela was out and head coach Ronald Dulay told her to work and correct her footwork because even though she spiked the ball hard, her movement was an invitation to injury. No one wanted that.

However one year later, she was cut from the team by the new coach, Roger Gorayeb.

Urquico was devastated about the way she was unceremoniously removed from the team. No team or athletics official bothered to break the news to her as she only found from her teammates.

She thought of going back home to Baguio or even transferring to another school but her parents prevailed upon her to see what else was available in school; after all, she was already in Ateneo.

The beach volleyball program was in its infancy yet previously, with Charo Soriano in harness, Ateneo was able to bag a runner-up finish in the sport. Along with other cast-offs from the indoor volleyball team, Jessica Morada, and Pepi Sison, and rookie of the year, Sharah So they swallowed their pride and embraced the beach volleyball program that was under Micmic Laborte who served as an assistant to both Dulay then Gorayeb.

She soon grew to love the sport and actually felt that it helped her get better as a volleyball player. “In a way, beach volleyball motivated me to get better.” Said Urquico. “Charo said that it actually helped her play better because there is greater emphasis on lateral movement and communication. She also said that it helped her with her blocking and other aspects of the game. So it intrigued me.”

With no facility in school for training, Urquico and her teammates go to the Cantada Sports Center in Bicutan three times a week to train. A task that at the sound of it makes it doubly difficult since one has to grind through the metro traffic on both ways then going back to her dorm in Loyola Heights to do some studying.

Except for the travel (and of course the competition), Urquico is used to the set up. “Our teachers even in high school never granted us favors. So I’m used to being a student athlete. However, as much as I wish I could get better grades, it’s tough since I sometimes miss classes. I just try to do my best.”

No one has ever become a doctor in Asia’s family and she hopes to be the first. Med school is a good two years away but she can’t think of that now. There’s two more years of schooling and playing beach volleyball.

Living away from her parents has taught her to be more responsible and independent. It wasn’t an easy thing to get used to in her first year. “Before when I’d get home, I put my clothes in the laundry bin then sit down at the table to eat. Things were done for me. I really had to adjust.” She laughs at the memory that doesn’t seem all too long ago. “Living alone makes you learn to take care of yourself. I was gaining weight and not eating properly. I tried everything including even being a vegetarian. Until I decided to take control of what I can control, things were not going to get better unless I stepped up.”

Along with her beach volleyball teammates, they were invited and were convinced to join the Ateneo Women’s track team to help gain points for the team during UAAP. Urquico says that the team’s veterans didn’t welcome them initially with open arms.

“They are used to people joining but not take training seriously. They’re there then they'll suddenly drop out. After the Uni-Games in Iloilo, I think they saw that our team was sincere in helping out in the UAAP. Until I was able to earn some points to add to the team’s overall total, I never considered myself to be a dual-athlete. Only then can I say that I proved something to myself and to my teammates.”

After finishing fourth in the UAAP, it is only then that Urquico realized that the athletics training has actually helped her become faster and stronger, not only for her hammer throwing but also for her beach volleyball. This is evident with her team's recent win in Petron Beach Volleyball Competition.

"We had no training in beach volleyball since after our third place win in Uni-Games, but our movement in the court during the Petron games was unbelievable because it was as if we had training!"

It has been two years since Asia Urquico was unceremoniously cut from the indoor volleyball team. Looking back at everything that has happened, she says there are two things that she learned and holds close to her heart: “Nothing is permanent. I guess life is like that – it’s all about change. But if you work really hard, you can at least help determine what your future will be like.”

Not bad for a student athlete.

She tends to mildly disagree. “When I graduate and have that diploma in my hand; only then can I say that I was a student-athlete.”

She’s working hard at it.