For a player who has experienced the highs of championship runs and individual accolades, Jema Galanza knows that even the toughest setbacks can offer valuable lessons.
The Creamline outside hitter is taking that approach following the Cool Smashers’ second consecutive defeat in the 2026 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference Siklab Series, refusing to look past her own shortcomings as she searches for ways to help the team get back on track.
Creamline absorbed a five-set heartbreaker against Choco Mucho, 23-25, 25-13, 25-23, 22-25, 13-15, last Thursday, extending its losing streak after an earlier four-set defeat to PLDT.
The back-to-back setbacks brought the Cool Smashers down to a 4-2 record, adding pressure to their campaign as the race for the semifinals continues to intensify.
But rather than dwell solely on the team's struggles, Galanza saw the defeats as an opportunity for personal reflection, admitting that she still has plenty to contribute and improve upon.
“Wake-up call din siya para sa akin, na may mga kailangan pa akong ayusin, may kailangan pa akong itulong sa team. Siyempre, iba rin yung setup ng season, so adjusting din talaga yung nangyayari,” she said.
The former league MVP's assessment was reflected in Creamline's performance against the Flying Titans. The Cool Smashers committed 27 errors, with several coming at critical junctures of the tightly contested match.
Galanza also had her share of costly miscues in the deciding set. An attack that sailed long allowed Choco Mucho to draw level at 9-all, while another attempt that failed to clear the net helped the Flying Titans build a 13-11 advantage.
For the veteran spiker, those missed opportunities underscored an issue that the team must address before its next assignments.
“Ang daming errors, ang daming nasayang na mga puntos, pero ganun talaga, nobody’s perfect. Yung team din, nagko-commit sa mga importanteng puntos, so ayun yung kailangan talaga naming ma-work out, especially yung mga susunod naming games. Talagang importante na talaga para sa amin,” Galanza said.
Yet correcting those mistakes is not simply a matter of getting the technical aspects right.
Galanza also recognized how the mental demands of the game can influence decision-making, especially when the desire to score quickly gets the better of a player.
“Mentally kasi ang kalaban mo sa mga ganung errors. Minsan gusto mo rin talagang makapuntos, gusto mo talagang mas mapadali yung laro, pero yun nga, minsan yung mga ganun kasi, mas nagko-commit ka ng errors,” she explained.
It is a learning process that the experienced outside hitter understands well. Having spent years competing at the highest level, she knows that consistency does not come from expecting perfection but from being willing to examine mistakes and work through them.
“Pero I think sa tagal na naming naglalaro, ganun naman yung nangyayari, talagang merong magandang laro, merong hindi. Kailangan mo lang talaga siyang aralin araw-araw, kaya rin naman kami nagte-training. Sinabi ko naman, di kami perfect, so yung mga pagkakamali namin, aayusin namin every day,” she added.
Fortunately for Creamline, there is still an opportunity to regroup and address its shortcomings before returning to the court. However, the Cool Smashers will have little room for complacency when they face unbeaten Nxled in their next assignment.
Galanza knows that dwelling on consecutive defeats will do the team little good. Instead, the priority is to leave the disappointment behind and carry the lessons into their next match.
“I think di naman ito yung first time din namin na parang laro agad. Ayun, natalo, laro agad, so yun lang, kailangan lang talaga naming kalimutan agad yung mga nangyari, and maglaro.”
