Ara Galang ends her UAAP career, to focus on studies

La Salle Lady Spiker Ara Galang ended her UAAP career last Saturday on a high note and vowed to focus on her studies after their team won the volleyball championship against archrival Ateneo Lady Eagles.

Galang, who is now on her final term in De La Salle University as a Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship student, scored nine points in the do-or-die game against Ateneo De Manila University.

"Parang gusto ko rin 'yun. Ngayon, ma-experience ko na maging student lang eh," she said. "Matatanggal 'yung 'dash athlete' sa student-athlete."

Galang noted that the transition from being a student-athlete to becoming a full-time student might not be that easy, but expressed positivity in the changes that it would entail.

"One term na lang," she said told ABS-CBN News, "So ayun, ipa-prioritize ko muna ang studies ko, para at least after that, kahit anong gawin ko, pwede na."

She scored nine points in her last volleyball game in the UAAP, and wrapped her career with three championship titles. While bidding farewell to her UAAP career, she has not turned her back on volleyball completely and has remained open to other opportunities in the future.

"If meron namang opportunity na maglaro, pwede ko namang pag-isipan. Go lang," she said, but clarified that offers to play for the upcoming conference of the Philippine Superliga will have to wait, "Pag-iisipan ko muna."

In the mean time, the former MVP has enough time to savor La Salle’s ninth title together with her teammates, especially after sitting it out from last year’s championship game.

In Season 77, Galang had an ACL injury that made her merely watch La Salle lose to Ateneo.

True to the animo spirit, she used that experience to bounce back and win a championship title in Season 78 at the expense of their rivals.

"Ginawa ko siyang motivation para umangat ako," Galang said talking about her injury, "Sa start ginawa ko siyang motivation and then afterwards kinalimutan ko na lang."

Apart from Ara Galang, La Salle’s starting six Cyd Demecillio and Mika Reyes are some of the seniors who will leave the challenge of defending the crown to the younger ones.

Source: KAMI.com.gh