PVL Draft aspirant Nathalie Ramacula. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — After her aborted UAAP stint, the Filipino-Canadian libero Nathalie Ramacula seeks to fulfill her childhood dream as one of the 47 aspirants hoping to be selected in the inaugural PVL Rookie Draft on July 8 at Novotel.
Ramacula flew all the way from Canada back to Manila as she tries to complete her unfinished business nine years after she last played in the country when she was 15 years old.
“I did my residency with UE, and then unfortunately, I was gonna be playing sa UAAP but then I had to go to Canada,” Ramacula told reporters in the Draft Combine on Wednesday at GameVille Ball Park.
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Veteran setter Chie Saet discovered the Red River College Polytechnic product in Grade 8 before she went to UE. However, her collegiate stint in Canada was limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“My journey po, I started playing in grade 5. I got recruited by coach Chie Saet when I was in grade 8 then I went to Canada and I played to clubs there as well. I went to nationals as well and college,” Ramacula said. “Unfortunately, it was COVID so I had to stop for a bit and then I had to come back again for PVL.”
Despite the pitstops in her volleyball career, Ramacula won’t stop chasing her dream to play in the PVL even though she attended the Draft Combine still feeling the effects of jet lag.
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“I applied because this is my dream like my big dream kasi since bata pa po ako ito na po or yung UAAP yung pinaka dream ko so I’m thankful po na [nabigyan ng chance magpadraft],” she said. “Hopefully, I did best because I’m a bit jetlagged kasi po three days ago kakarating ko lang din po so medyo I’m still adjusting sa time.”
“What I can offer is my big motivation po like I can motivate each one of the team as well. Being a [vocal] libero I hope to give my best for the team.”
Ramacula is one of the two Filipino-Canadian players with libero Aleiah Torres of Brock University, hoping to be part of the 12 PVL teams in the Reinforced Conference starting on July 16.
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