In volleyball, the setter’s primary objective is to distribute the ball to the hitters on the court, a role that is similar to the point guard in basketball or the quarterback in American football. Being a setter is harder than it sounds, as the setter must understand his or her teammates’ preferences, whether it be the height at which the ball is set or the preferred spot in the air.
Key to La Salle’s success in the past few years can be attributed to setter Kim Fajardo, who is on her final year with the Lady Spikers. As the most senior member of the squad, her role extends beyond lobbing the ball to the likes of Kim Dy and Tin Tiamzon, and dropping the ball for her patented drop shots; Fajardo mentors the younger players and guides them through the pressure-packed situations that the UAAP is known for.
“Hindi ako sanay na ako yung pinakamatanda,” she says now that the likes of Ara Galang, Mika Reyes, and Cyd Demecillo have graduated. “Siguro yun yung kailangan kong iaccept… tsaka kunin ko yung full responsibility [since] ako na yung pinakasenior.”
Super senior
The past two seasons have seen Fajardo take on a more vocal role on the team. This was evident not just in indoor volleyball since the fifth-year player also spent the last two years representing DLSU in beach volleyball. Teaming up with Demecillo and Tiamzon in Season 2015, the trio went on to win La Salle’s first UAAP Beach Volleyball Championship.
In Season 79, Fajardo was less involved in terms of playing on the sand, as there were instances where she served as the reserve player. From the sidelines, she would mentor Tiamzon and Desiree Cheng, helping the team secure a third-place finish after falling to the FEU Lady Tamaraws in the stepladder semifinals.
With the indoor volleyball tournament ongoing, the team captain has admitted that the loss of Galang, Reyes, and Demecillo has left the team with fewer veteran voices that normally provide different perspectives for the younger players. Though the responsibility may seem bigger from an outsider’s point of view, Fajardo has allayed fears that it would become a concern.
“Hindi sa kinekwestyon ko yung sarili ko, pero siguro minsan natatanong ko din kung kaya ko ba silang [the rest of the team] dalhin,” Fajardo adds, noting that the key to erasing doubts has been constantly assuring herself, coupled with the support of her teammates and coaches. “Naniniwala naman ako sa sarili ko na kaya ko, kasi kailangan ko maniwala, kasi ito na talaga yun eh. Harapin ko na talaga to.”
Strong finish
Right after the Lady Spikers clinched the Season 78 Title, the Lasallian community immediately clamored for Fajardo to return for her final year, a decision she would only make a couple of months before this year’s tournament began. Her teammates got into it as well, as they and the fans used the hashtag #KAF1moreyear hoping to encourage the setter to return for one last ride.
Between Season 78 and 79, Fajardo’s schedule was jam-packed, as she played in two Philippine Super Liga (PSL) conferences for the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers, winning one championship and taking a third-place finish against a stacked playing field. Aside from that, she represented the Philippines in the 2016 FIVB Women’s Club World Championship where they finished in eighth place.
“Siguro nung natapos na lahat, December yun, doon ko nasabi na, ‘Okay, laro ako [for DLSU],’” she says when recounting the buildup and the moment she made the decision to return to the University.
With that over, Fajardo has turned her attention to La Salle’s title defense this UAAP season. Things are different for the Lady Spikers in terms of personnel and circumstances. However, Fajardo responds in true setter fashion, emphasizing the role of her teammates and expressing her confidence in them.
“Tinutulungan nila ako iaangat at maangat sarili ko, at iaangat yung buong team, so naeexcite ako. Tsaka sobrang happy ako lalo na dun sa mga bagong pasok sa team,” she says. “Finally, mapapakita nila sa UAAP kung anong meron sila.”
