After years of trading volleyballs for fashion shoots, 39-year-old Rose Joy Pinuela is stepping back into the world she never truly left behind.
Once a standout outside hitter for Olivarez College, Pinuela is now the oldest applicant in the 2025 Premier Volleyball League Rookie Draft—defying age, expectations, and the odds stacked against her.
Her story is anything but conventional. Discovered by a talent scout in her early 20s, Pinuela shifted her focus from the court to catwalks, becoming a full-time model.
“Siguro ano, just follow your passion. Ako kasi, it’s my passion. Kasi, andami kasing discrimination sa life ko eh. For me, I’m always like positive kaya gusto ko ipagpatuloy ‘yung passion ko,” Pinuela shared after the first day of the PVL Draft Combine.
The journey back hasn’t been easy.
Critics have questioned her fitness, her age, and whether she can keep up in a league filled with younger, battle-tested talents from powerhouse collegiate programs.
But none of that has swayed her. If anything, the doubters have only strengthened her resolve.
“Maraming nangungutya na, ‘Di mo ’yan kaya,’ pero thank God, nandito ako ngayon. Kaya pinagpatuloy ko ’yung passion ko sa volleyball ’cause this is my dream,” said the 5-foot-7 spiker, who wore jersey number 25 during the combine.
What sparked her comeback? A heartfelt push from someone who knew how much the sport meant to her.
“Actually, tinigil ko kasi siya eh dahil, ayun nga, pinush ko ’yung pagmo-model kasi someone discovered me, and I tried it. Then now, my best friend told me, ‘Why not? It’s your passion, so go for it—follow your dreams, follow your goals in life.’”
In a rookie draft pool of over 60 aspirants—most of whom boast recent collegiate stints from the UAAP or NCAA—Pinuela’s resume might seem underwhelming on paper.
She lacks the high-profile experience, but she offers something far more rare: positivity.
“Hindi naman ako galing sa NCAA or, you know, mga sikat na schools. Pero basta, I’ll try my very best na makasali dito, makapasok dito. Medyo kinakabahan, andon, pero push lang natin kung anong gusto natin. Laban lang.”
That fighting spirit—“laban lang”—has been her guiding principle. In an arena that often favors the young and explosive, Pinuela is proving that heart and hunger can’t be measured by age.
Now, standing on the brink of a new chapter, she hopes her journey can inspire not only aspiring athletes, but anyone who’s ever been told that it’s “too late” to chase their dreams.
“I just want to follow my goal and dreams in life kasi ayokong gumive up. Yeah, just never give up. Kung ano ‘yung passion niyo, pagpatuloy niyo lang.”
