Tennis is one of the sports feature at the 2015 Palarong Pambansa, an annual multi-level national scholastic athletic competition conducted by the Department of Education and participated in by the elementary and secondary students both from public and private schools.
Known as an Olympic sport, Tennis is played at all levels of society and at all ages. A sport that can be played by anyone who can hold a racquet. People known Tennis is played by elite group because, tennis racquet is expensive. Not everyone can buy expensive tennis racquet and can play in a tennis court to pay for rent on number of hours.
Holding now in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, Palarong Pambansa where students athletes play Tennis games. Who could have thought they can play an elite sports.
One young and simple girl is now a Tennis player, even she has nothing to buy tennis racquet and even the clothes she use to play in a tennis court with the professional players or with the elite group of society.
She is Mikaela Joy L. Javier, known as the "Pulot Girl" of Isabella, Region 2.
Why? Ella, 16 year-old, and just graduateed from Magsaysay National High School in Alicia, Isabela. With her family, living near a tennis court where professional players regulary play. She was the "Pulot Girl" when she was 11 years old, tasked to get the tennis balls, retrieve for the players in exchange for a few pesos. She earned 40Php per hour, she uses in her school needs and was able to help her parents in their daily expenses. She even earned 300Php a day being the "Pulot Girl."
"Nagsimula po ako nagpulot, noon na naglalakad po ako sa tennis court, nakita ko po mga cousin ko po, sabi po nya sa akin, maganda dun at mababait yung mga tao," Ella shared.
"Isang araw pumasok po ako tapos may nagtanong kung namumulot ako ng tennis balls and sabi ko, opo. Pero kung susubukan mo at mag tennis ka wala ng balikan, ituloy tuloy mo na kasi makakatulong din ito sa iyo." Ella said.
She have love playing Tennis. When one player asked her to try to play, she said yes. That's the starting of her training, focus on her studies and tennis plays, and became a member of the school's varsity team.
She's happy because her friends and co-players are good people. They support each other, "masaya po sa paglalaro ng tennis kasi mababait po din 'yung mga kasama ko, magaan po kasi yung pag-approach ng tennis players, hindi po sila 'yung, pagkapasok mo, ay sino ka, hindi po ganun. Madalas po nag offer sila ng tinapay."
Regularly training, with her exceptional skills, she won medals in competitions. "Yung pong unang competition ko, yun po 'yung ginagawa ng coach na nagtuturo sa amin, pinaglaban-laban po kami, sabi po nya sige sali ka na tingnan natin kung ano mangyayari, nung una nga po hindi pa ako makakasama kasi wala po akong pera. . . for registration. Pero sobrang bait po ni coach at mga kasama ko kaya po nakasama ako at natuwa po talaga ako kasi naging first po ako dun, natuwa din po ako at gusto ko na po ang tennis."
"Pangatlong sali ko na po ito sa Palaro pero masaya po ako kasi maraming nakikilala at natututunan," said Ella, one of the delegates of Cagayan Valley Regional Athletics Association of their region to compete for the Tennis Sport Event in Palarong Pambansa 2015.
Giving inspiration to young students, "ang masasabi ko po sa mga sasali sa Palaro o mag tetennis, dapat po may disiplina at palagi lang po mag-training."
Ella will soon be entering college and she still choosing among the three college institutions with full scholarship offers. She wants to be a Teacher.
Passion, determination and hardship, shaped this young "Pulot Girl" to a unbeatable tennis player champion. In the future, a full scholar college girl will become big someone in the society.
