I've asked my students to design their own notebook based on their interests/hobbies. I've asked them further to make an essay about their design. Here's the fourth...
“A force in the middle,” is how her Facebook fan page describes the former St. Scholastica’s College, Manila volleyball statuesque, Mika Aereen Reyes. Only an inch shy from being a six-footer, and still growing, this 5’11 stand-out is one of the most anticipated rookies of this year’s DLSU women’s volleyball line-up. This first year AB-PSM volleybelle, will be filling in the big shoes left by last season’s MVP Jacqueline Alarca. Still a raw middle blocker-hitter, Reyes is poised to provide an added ceiling in the Lady Spikers’ frontline defense. 17-year old Reyes was not always athletic; she only started spiking and hitting volleyballs during her freshmen year in high school. She learned the ropes of the center position, and maximized her obvious height advantage among peers. Soon enough, Reyes earned her first athletic award for volleyball, the Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 41 Best Blocker in her last playing year for St. Scholastica. During her pre-season stints in the Philippine Volleyball Federation (PFV) Intercollegiate Championship and PVF National Open Volleyball Championship, Reyes reinforced the Lady Spikers’ blocking department while chipping in points from her promising quick attacks and drop shots. The transition from high school to collegiate volleyball may not be as smooth, but with her dedication, tenacity and Coach Ramil de Jesus’ mentorship, Reyes is definitely the next force to reckon with
My notebook will have a covering of a photo of me and a volleyball player who I idolized the most, looking at each other, with conversation balloons containing the subject of the notebook and its schedule. She is special; a young volleyball player whom I adore much because of her wit and humility; Mika Aereen Reyes. I chose this covering because she gave me the inspiration to pursue my studies as my greatest priority above sports. I admire her for being humble and modest on and off the television and the volleyball court.
As an application to my everyday life, I can also be an inspiration to my fellow student-athlete, like Mika, to balance their time as in the classroom and in the court, not to neglect studies and fail our parents’ expectations and dreams for us, for they wanted us to have better lives ahead, and not wanting us to regret someday that we had chosen sports over studies for they are both our priorities.