RACHEL ANNE DAQUIS "A REAL CHAMPION"

ONE STEP BACKWARD, TWO STEPS FORWARD

   CONSIDERED AS THE VOLLEYBALL GODDESS AND AMBASSADRESS OF UAAP WOMEN'S VOLLEYBAL LEAGUE, RACHEL ANNE DAQUIS HAD BEEN LISTED AS ONE OF THE FEU ALUMNI WHO GAVE  AN HONOR TO THE SAID UNIVERSITY IN THE FIELD OF SPORTS. THIS 5"9 LADY TAMARAW LEFT AN UNFORGETTABLE AND PROMISING APPROACH IN UAAP FOR SHE HAD SHOWED UP EXCELLENT PERFORMANCES DURING HER FIVE-YEAR STAY IN THE LINE UP.

AS AN ATHLETE, SHE IS A POWERFUL SPIKER. AS A LADY, SHE IS A HEAD TURNER.

   RACHEL ANNE IS NOT ONLY KNOWN FOR HER LEGACY IN THE WORLD OF VOLLEYBALL SPORT. IN FACT, I MYSELF OBSERVED AND PROVED THAT SHE IS SUCH A "HEAD TURNER" BECAUSE OF HER GORGEOUS LOOKS. THAT HAPPEND WHEN I FIRST SAW HER. BEFORE I DOUBTED, BUT IT IS TRUE THAT 'TO SEE IS TO BELIEVE".

BEING AN ANGEL AND AN INSPIRATION TO A LOT OF PEOPLE, HER PERSONALITY CAN BE COMPARED MORE THAN HOW SHE IS BEAUTIFUL OUTSIDE. HER LOW PROFILE IS VERY FAR FROM THE IMPRESSIONS THAT PEOPLE HAVE FOR HER. SHE HAS A SIMPLE YET OPTIMISTIC VIEW OF LIFE WHICH KEEPS HER FEET ON THE GROUND.

VOLLEYBALL HAD BEEN ONE OF THE GREATEST HIGHLIGHTS OF HER LIFE. QUESTIONS LISTED BELOW WILL LET YOU KNOW MORE ABOUT HER VOLLEYBALL CAREER AND HOW SHE WAS ABLE TO RELATE HER SPORT INTO REAL LIFE.

1. WHAT PUSHED YOU INTO PLAYING VOLLEYBALL?

- ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I'M HERE IN VOLLEYBALL IS BECAUSE OF MY FAMILY. I WANTED TO HELP THEM. THERE, I KNEW THAT BY JOINING THE FEU WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL TEAM, I WOULD BE ABLE TO GET A SCHOLARSHIP.

2. HOW DID YOU FIND YOURSELF IN UAAP DURING YOUR PLAYING YEARS?

- I FOUND MYSELF AS A LEADER, ONE OF THE MOST AND EFFECTIVE CAPTAIN BALL, AND A GOOD ROLE MODEL ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO ARE ALSO IN THE FIELD OF MY SPORT.

3. IF EVER YOU'LL BE GIVEN A CHANCE TO CHOOSE ANOTHER SPORT AS YOUR PASSION, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY?

- SWIMMING BECAUSE I ENJOY IT AND I CONSIDER IT AS THE BEST WAY TO REDUCE STRESS. IT'S MY FIRST SPORT ACTUALLY.

 

4. HOW DID YOU MANAGED YOUR TIME BEING AN ATHLETE, A DAUGHTER, A SISTER, A STUDENT AND A COMPANION AT THE SAME TIME?

- THERE IS ALWAYS AN APPROPRIATE TIME FOR EACH AND EVERYTHING. WE SHOULD KNOW WHEN TO GIVE TIME FOR THIS AND FOR THAT. THERE'S NOTHING IMPOSSIBLE WITH TIME MANAGEMENT AS LONG AS YOU ENJOY WHAT YOU ARE DOING REGARDLESS OF HOW COMPLICATED YOUR SCHEDULE IS.

5. WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO THOSE WHO GIVES YOU EXAGGERATED IMPRESSIONS?

- THEY'RE JUST SHOWING THAT I'M REALLY IN TOP OF THEM. BUT IT'S NOT! I DON'T TAKE MY FAME TOO MUCH. SIMPLICITY STILL MATTERS FOR ME.

6. IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS SINCE YOU LAST PLAYED IN THE UAAP, HOW IS YOUR LIFE NOW?

- I'M STILL IN FEU. I DECIDED NOT TO LEAVE THEM YET BECAUSE I WANNA HELP THE COACHING STAFF IN BOOSTING NEOPHYTE ATHLETES. I WANT THEM TO REACH WHAT I HAVE REACHED NOW BUT NOT NECESSARILY TO DO WHAT I HAVE DONE FOR THE TEAM. I KNOW THEY HAVE THE GUTS TO SHINE IN THEIR OWN WAY.

7. HOW DOES IT FEEL EVEN YOU'RE ALREADY OUT OF THE TEAM. YOU ARE STILL ADMIRED AND NEVER FORGOTTEN?

- IT'S VERY OVERWHELMING. IT FEELS LIKE THEY ARE LONGING FOR MY ACTIONS INSIDE THE COURT. HOW I WISH I COULD STILL PLAY.

8. HOW WOULD YOU RELATE VOLLEYBALL IN REAL LIFE?

- IN VOLLEYBALL, YOU DON'T ALWAYS WIN BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU NEED TO LOSE FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO REALIZE THE VALUE OF SUCCESS. LIKE IN REAL LIFE, WE DON'T ALWAYS GET WHAT WE WANT. SOMETIMES THINGS GO BEYOND OUR EXPECTATIONS. BUT NEVER GET DISCOURAGED. "THE GREATEST GLORY IN LIFE IS NOT WINNING BUT RISING EVERYTIME WE FALL". SOMEDAY, WHEN YOU REACH YOUR SUCCESS, YOU WILL LOOK BACK AND REALIZE THAT EVERY SACRIFICES AND HARDWORK ARE ALL WORTH IT.

THE PRESSURE AND DEMAND OF BEING AN ATHLETE DID NOT LET HER FORGET HER OBLIGATIONS OUTSIDE THE COURT. DESPITE OF HER POPULARITY, DAQUIS STILL WANTS TO LIVE A SIMPLE AND PEACEFUL LIFE BECAUSE LIKE WHAT SHE SAID SHE DOESN'T TAKE HER FAME TOO MUCH.

POPULARITY VS. SIMPLICITY

 " YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE POPULAR TO MAKE PEOPLE LOVE YOU AND RECOGNIZE YOUR WORTH IN THIS WORLD THE WAY YOU WANT IT TO BE. ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT BEING SIMPLE IS THE BEST WAY TO BE TRULY ACCEPTED AND BE LOVED " - RACHEL ANNE DAQUIS (JERSEY NO. 3)

 

(credits to the owner of the pictures)