University of Perpetual Help System DALTA has officially pulled out star spiker Louie Ramirez from Imus-Ivy Tuason Photography to focus on the team’s ongoing campaign in the NCAA Season 98 men’s volleyball tournament.
Hero Austria, meanwhile, was curiously left out of the Altas’ lineup and has remained with the AJAA Spikers in the 2023 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference.
It turns out, Austria, who already played his rookie year for Perpetual in the scrapped Season 95, will serve a one-year residency after switching schools during the pandemic.
The former NCAA juniors MVP left the Las Piñas-based school back in 2021 and transferred to Arellano University where he spent one semester. Austria, though, had a change of heart after the first semester and left Legarda to return to Perpetual.
“Nung time na ‘yon, nung napunta ako sa Arellano nag-aral ako doon ng one semester tapos natapos ko yun,” said Austria, who already played for the Altas last year in the V-League Collegiate Challenge.
“Then the second sem nag-stop ako para bumalik ulit sa Perpetual kasi nag-usap ulit kami ng parents ko na mas ramdam ko yung flow ng Perps kesa sa Arellano. Makakapag-laro na dapat ako this season sa Arellano kung nag-tuloy ako,” he added.
Austria thanked Perpetual and Imus-ITP head coach Sammy Acaylar for welcoming him back with open arms and helping his volleyball career get back on track.
“Sobrang thankful ko kay coach Sam kasi grabe, grabe niya ako i-motivate, grabe niya ako i-guide lalong lalo na kasi mataas yung pangarap niya sa akin,” said Austria, who will be eligible to suit up for Perpetual in the next NCAA season.
“Ayaw niya ako na bilang isang member ng LGBT community na wala akong patutunguhan. Gusto niya is siya yung maging mentor ko na tutularan ko. Na kahit ganito kami is may patutunguhan kami,” he added.
For now, Austria said that he will continue to work on his game in the Spikers’ Turf so that he can be a major contributor to the Altas’ Season 99 campaign.
“Sobrang laking tulong nitong Spikers’ Turf sakin pag-balik ko ng NCAA next year kasi ano ‘to e, dito makakalaban yung mga professional players na talaga. Hindi na yung collegiate lang.”
The former Perpetual high school star has been a key cog in Imus’ 5-1 start in the Open Conference.
