TO carry a household name in Philippine sports at the tender age of 13 has been quite the challenge and responsibility for Micaela Pingris.

The young volleybelle won best opposite hitter in Division 2 of the Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League (SGVIL) for newly-crowned champions Domuschola International School.

As she tries to take in every breakthrough that has come in her young career, Pingris isn’t shying away from the inherent pressure whenever she steps on the court.

“There’s a lot of pressure because I come from a family where my dad is a big athlete and my brother plays basketball and is also well-known,” Micaela said.

“It’s kind of pressuring when I play, people watching me and they know my name being like, ‘Uy, si Pingris yun.’ It feels that I need to play my best because people know me and know my dad.”

Being an athlete-father, ‘Pinoy Sakuragi’ is making sure that his daughter won’t walk alone in her own sporting journey.

“Sobrang proud kami kung gaano niya kagustong maglaro ng volleyball. Pagkatapos ng practice, sa kwarto niya, sa room niya, hanggang 1 a.m. yan, talagang pumapalo-palo siya. Pumapasok kami du’n, sabi ko, ‘Enough na, you need to sleep,’” Marc said.

“Nasa heart niya talaga yun na gustong maglaro ng volleyball so proud na proud ako sa anak ko.”

His wife Danica Sotto-Pingris added: “Minsan, nakakapanibago kasi sanay ako to be cheering for him [Marc] tapos ngayon, yung son namin, and then biglang sumunod siya [Micaela].

“Sabi ko nga, medyo mahaba-haba pang panahon kasi she’s just 13. Masaya din talaga kasi parang sabi ko nga, ‘Marc, hindi pa natatapos yung pagiging cheerleader ko. Akala ko nu’ng nag-retire ka na, [tapos na].’ I’m very proud of all of them.”

At first, Micaela wasn’t even sure if there’s a place in volleyball for her.

“I really didn’t know if I want to take this seriously,” she said.

“The more I played it, the more I felt like, ‘Oh, I wanna play this sport, I wanna continue this sport, I wanna do this sport 'til I finally get there and I wanna make my parents proud of this sport.’”

PHOTO: John Mark Garcia

During those times of uncertainty, Marc knew exactly how to restore his daughter’s once-lost spark in sport — by going above and beyond.

“Dati, si Caela, gymnast talaga ‘to eh tsaka nag-badminton siya dati. Umiyak ako nu’ng um-attend kami ng event na ganito, nakakuha siya ng gold medal tapos sinabi niyang ‘Dad, ayoko na,’” Marc shared.

“Sabi ko, ‘Why?’ Parang napagod daw siya. Nirespeto ko yun. And then suddenly, parang gusto niyang maglaro ng volleyball. Kaya nandito ako para suportahan siya, tinutulungan ko siya.

Danica added: “Lagi naming sinasabi ni Marc na never namin silang pinilit to get into sport. Sila mismo nagsabi sa’min na, ‘I want to play basketball, I want to play volleyball.’ Ine-expose namin, but never namin pinilit.

“In fact, sinasabi ko nga, mag-doctor kayo or whatever, ganun. I think more of yung gusto rin namin na sa kanila rin manggaling [kung ano yung gusto nila maging]. ‘Di mo maaalis yung pressure eh kasi like sabi nila, they have big shoes to fill, but enjoy lang. Enjoy lang talaga and do their best.”

And as far as advice goes, it’s one Marc has long carried back in his days in the PBA and with Gilas Pilipinas — ‘puso.’

And more than everything he learned on the court, Marc hopes Micaela will grow with the same fortitude he once had coming from nothing.

“Lagi ko ngang sinasabi sa kanila na wag lalaki yung ulo nila. Kung anuman yung nakuha niyo ngayon, kailangang pag-igihan pa nila,” Marc said.

“Kailangan mag-hard work pa sila kasi lagi kong sinasabi at kinukwento sa kanila na galing ako sa wala. Ang puhunan ko, hindi talento. Yung puso ko lang talaga.

“Yung father ko dati na binuhay kami, nakuha ko lang sa kanya [yung qualities na ‘to] kaya yun yung lagi kong sinasabi sa kanila na hard work lang talaga ang puhunan sa mga ganitong bagay.”

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