Sports enthusiasts know Cherry Ann Rondina as the UST Golden Tigresses volleyball team captain who poured all her heart in bringing her school into glory in the recent UAAP Season 81. Although, the championship trophy has slipped away from the UST once again, others say Cherry Ann’s golden MVP win and the first finals game in eight years were more than enough.
Outside the court, she is still the simple girl who hails from Cebu and whose nickname, “Sisi”, was taken from a variety of a shellfish she loves eating way back home. “Sa Cebu, ‘yung maliliit na talaba na nakadikit sa bato o kahoy, ‘sisi’ po ang tawag doon kaya iyon po ang ipinangalan sa akin,”, says the MVP who grew up playing in a sea near from home.
Spectators, including Boy Abunda himself, also noticed a certain move Sisi makes right after making a point where she quickly faces her teammates rather than the cameras. This, according to her, is a signal of humility which her father never fails to instill in her mind. “Bawal mag-angas o magyabang,” she relates about the biggest piece of advice she’s got from her father.
In the recently concluded UAAP ’81 Women’s Volleyball Tournament, Maddie Madayag of the Ateneo Blue Eagles was one of one of those who added more challenge to Sisi’s feat. Maddie was, in fact, the opponent’s ace who locked the Ateneo’s lead in the third set. So, it is no surprising that Sisi mentions Maddie’s name as the player she’s scared of the most.