Fight like the powerhouse women of Who Got Balls
There’s a lot of girl power behind the sports documentary Who Got Balls, from the featured guests to the behind-the-scenes work. First off, Danz Katanyag led Digital Dreams in producing a show with TrueID during the new normal. There are also four powerful women at the forefront of the series with stories that will motivate you to fight like a girl! Read on below.
Nesthy Petecio has always been engaged in athletic activities at a young age and shares, “Medyo boyish [ako] noong bata pa ako. Mahilig ako sa sports, first love ko basketball.” She went on to pursue a boxing career at the age of 11 in hopes of continuing her father’s dreams.
Petecio pushed on despite the public perception of boxing as a male-dominated field, proving that sports is for everyone. Petecio even recalls one of the times she sparred with a male opponent, “First game sa Araw ng Davao festival. Tapos may lalaki akong kalaban. Dili sa pag-hambog pero ’di ako nakakaramdam ng kaba. Mas na-excite ako. Mas gusto kong maipakita na kaya [ng mga] babae sumabay sa mga lalaki!” Watch Nesthy Petecio’s episode to see the whole story.
Sisi Rondina’s story proves that the best way to deal with public scrutiny is to subvert expectations at every turn. Rondina was initially hesitant to start a volleyball career due to her height and recalls, “Na-challenge ako at the time [noong] nag-train ako. Solid! Ang liit ko!” She continues with a laugh, “Paano ba ako makikipag-sabayan nito? [Pero] ayokong magpatalo, ayokong matalo!” Thanks to this mindset, she achieved volleyball star status. Watch Sisi Rondina’s episode and find out more about her life.
Alyssa Valdez may have reached celebrity status already but she never forgets her proud probinsyana roots. Valdez credits the hometown environment for developing her amazing work ethic and shares, “Yung pagiging Batangeuña ko, nagagamit talaga [inside the court]. Yung pagiging matapang, hindi sumusuko, palaban, barako!” The volleyball Phenom remains grounded and authentic, avoiding outside influence from changing her identity. She remains earnest in her interactions even sharing a funny anecdote, “My brothers taught me how to play ball. There was one incident na nag-vovolleyball kaming magkapatid tapos tinamaan ako ng brother ko sa face. Tapos after noon, na-inspire ako. Sabi ko, babawi ako sa kanya!”
Watch Alyssa Valdez' episode and see her journey in full color.
Meggie Ochoa’s martial arts prowess doesn’t solely define her entire being, it’s only one aspect of her life. In Ochoa’s episode, the Jiu-Jitsu athlete gets pensive as she discusses moral values and her religious faith. Ochoa shares, ”One of the most valuable things [that] I’ve learned and am continuing to learn is humility. [It helps you acknowledge] those that walked with you on your journey and give them gratitude.” She continues, “In sport, no matter how good you get, there will always be someone better. You have to be humble enough to look at your mistakes and correct them in order for you to grow. And the result should always lead to improvement not just for you but for those around you.” Watch Meggie Ochoa’s episode to hear more words of encouragement.
What all these stories prove is that we should loudly and proudly take up space in any field we desire because there’s more than enough room for everyone to join.