How BPO graveyard shifter Alyssa Eroa found her way back on court

MANILA, Philippines – The past three years have been nothing short of a roller-coaster ride for volleyball player Alyssa Eroa.

She enjoyed on-court success back when she was a key cog for collegiate powerhouse San Sebastian in the NCAA, and later, as an up-and-coming talent in the semi-pros late in the 2010s with club teams like BaliPure, Paymaya, and PLDT Home.

But when the pandemic shuttered all sports in 2020, the ace libero felt she hit her lowest point as the joy of playing on the taraflex court and her bread and butter were all taken away from her.

Then came an even steeper drop in 2022.

“Nag-tryout ako sa bagong club team pero hindi ako nakuha,” she recalled.

“Tapos si Ate Gretch (Soltones) kinontact ako na mag-tryout din sa Petro Gazz kasi aalis na daw ‘yung isa nilang libero, pero hindi rin ako nakuha,” she added with a shy smile, remembering the heartbreak from the back-to-back rejections.

(I tried out with a new club, but I wasn’t recruited. Gretch Soltones contacted me to try out with Petro Gazz because they’re about to lose their libero, but I also wasn’t picked.)

It was at this point when she felt there was just no more interest from any team to sign her.

“Doon na pumitik sa’kin na ayaw na ng volleyball sa ‘kin,” she shared. (That’s when I realized that volleyball no longer wants me.)

As down as she was, Eroa did not have the luxury to sulk and feel bad for herself. She’s not well-off, she said, and the salary she made during her semi-pro days wasn’t really enough to set aside savings that could tide her over during a career lull.

Quiet as a grave

So Eroa hustled even harder — straight to a call center graveyard shift.

“Tinanggap ko na. Hindi ko na pinilit kasi may responsibilities ako. May family na gustong tulungan kahit papaano. Kaya pumasok ako sa BPO (business process outsourcing) and, sa totoo lang, naging masaya naman,” Eroa told Rappler.

(I accepted it. I didn’t force myself to go back into sports because I had responsibilities. I wanted to help my family. So, I worked in a BPO, and to be honest, I also enjoyed it.) 

But deep down, the urge to return to the volleyball court remained, even if it meant playing part-time in a non-pro league.

“Isang taon na ako sa BPO, tapos bali-balitang magkaka-MPVA (Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association) nga raw. Tapos, ang Marikina, magkaka-team daw, kaya sabi ng mga seniors ko sa Baste pumunta daw ako at mag-tryout,” said the Marikina resident.

(I was already working for a year in the BPO when news came out that there would be a new league, the MPVA. And there will be a Marikina team, so my seniors from San Sebastian said I should attend the tryout.)

“‘Yung venue, punong-puno ng tao. Ang daming tao! Pero go kami. Sabi nga ni Ate Virra (Guillema) na teammate ko dati, kung mapili, e ‘di thank you. Kung hindi, at least nakapagpapawis kami,” she added.

(The venue was packed, but I still went. As my former teammate Virra Guillema said, if we get picked, then thank you. If not, at least we got a good workout sweat.)

At that level, Eroa’s talent, of course, stood out. She received a call and was soon offered a contract with the Marikina Lady Shoemasters.

“Wala pang P15,000 ang [monthly] offer, kaya talagang hindi ko puwedeng piliin lang ang volleyball, kaya pinagsabay ko talaga sa BPO,” she said with hearty laughter.

(The offer wasn’t even P15,000 a month, and it wouldn’t be enough if I just played volleyball. So, I juggled it with my BPO work.)

While she answered calls and resolved customer issues at night, Eroa held on to the hem of her passion during the day, playing her heart out on the court even though it was far from the huge spectacle at her old playground.

Fewer people watched. And along with the few lights and cameras, there wasn’t much of the media mileage that goes with playing in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL).

But then came another chance — a phone call that set Eroa for a big-league comeback.

Scaling heights

Eroa recalled with a wide smile how she got a call in 2024 from Galeries Tower players Andrea Marzan and Dimdim Pacres, who checked on her availability.

“Doon na nagsimula (That’s how it started),” Eroa said, noting her contract with MPVA ended by then.

Under head coach Lerma Giron of the Galeries Tower Highrisers, Eroa did not just make a comeback — she did it with a bang, playing like every game would decide whether her contract gets extended or not.

This is, perhaps, what happens when one is given a second wind: the inspiration from the second chance, paired with the fear of losing it all again, transform into grit that takes a player to another level.

The result? Eroa bagged the PVL Best Libero award in the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference, besting the finest defensive aces in the country.

But she still deflects the glory, giving credit to her Galeries coaches instead.

Eroa shared how coaches Lerma and Godfrey Okumu gave her the freehand, letting her strategize on court despite her occasional errors.

“Ako pa ang nahihiya na hindi ako nilalabas kahit puro na ako mali (Sometimes I get embarrassed because they just let me play even if I make mistakes),” she said.

“Napakalaking bagay ng nagawa nilang tulong sa ‘kin and habambuhay akong tatanaw ng utang na loob sa kanila (They helped me a lot, and I’ll forever be grateful to them),” she added with a sad smile. The bittersweet look was because, along with her resurgence with the Galeries, other teams soon came knocking.

With a Best Libero accolade tucked under her belt, it didn’t take long before other clubs sent offers after her Galeries contract expired. 

Jolted awake

Just recently, the Zus Coffee Thunderbelles announced that they had acquired Eroa. 

Without discussing the specifics, the libero shared how ecstatic she was when the life-changing Zus opportunity came.

“‘Pag inayos ko pala ang laro ko, tataas din pala ang value ko. Ganoon pala ang worth ko? (When I played right, my value also went up. So, that’s how much I’m worth now?)” she shared after joining the Jerry-Yee-mentored squad.

With a contract that allows her to live her dream of playing volleyball for a living without needing a second job, Eroa also feels grateful she gets to help her parents.  

She plans on riding the game of life smarter, fully aware that the universe could once again throw in a drop or a loop any moment.

“Hindi nila (Zus) pinaparamdam sa akin na may pressure, pero after ng lahat ng pinagdaanan ko, natuto akong mahalin ‘yung pressure,” Eroa said.

“Gusto ko lang masuklian ‘yung tiwala ng management sa akin kaya magta-trabaho ako.” 

(There’s no pressure from the team, but after everything I went through, I’ve learned to embrace pressure. I want to give back the trust that the team management gave me, that’s why I’m going to work hard.) – Rappler.com