By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Thank you for your service and commitment, Tyang Aby!
It’s an end of an era for the Philippine women’s national volleyball team. After seven fruitful years, Aby Maraño is now bidding goodbye and will no longer wear the blue and red jersey for the upcoming international tournaments.
Maraño announced her decision in an Instagram post last March 12, 2023, saying: “Nagwakas na ang serbisyo sa bayan. Dito naman. Dito na lang, dito na palagi. Maraming salamat PH. Love, Capt. Tyang.”
The current skipper of the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers became the heart and soul of the PHL women’s national team and played a huge part in their success in the past editions of the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games).
Above all, it was her leadership and ability to put the team on the same page that helped her earn a spot in the national team from 2015-2021.
Maraño then became the team captain of the squad during the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and was always the vocal leader that lifted the spirits of the members.
Perhaps her most memorable performance was during the 2019 ASEAN Grand Prix where she helped the Filipina spikers clinch a podium finish after taking home the bronze medal.
Mixed emotions from her fellow volleyball superstars immediately flooded social media, thanking her for her commitment to the PHL women’s program.
As of now, it is still to be determined whether Maraño will still help the national team as a member of the coaching staff or will serve as a practice player in their upcoming training sessions.
The former DLSU Lady Spikers is still playing professional volleyball in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) and will seek to give F2 Logistics’ first-ever championship trophy after booking a semifinal ticket last week.
