Adamson Lady Falcons’ Shaina Nitura during a UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball game. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Part of Shaina Nitura’s sensational entry to the collegiate ranks is a piece of eyewear that keeps her game on point in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament.
Aside from Nitura’s scoring prowess, her goggles have also caught the attention of the fans after the Adamson Lady Falcons won two of their first three games.
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She has a vision grade of 275 on her left eye and 375 on her right and also suffers from astigmatism, but that hasn’t stopped her from shining as one of the emerging stars of Philippine volleyball.
READ; UAAP: Shaina Nitura, Adamson get back on track with win over UE
The 20-year-old rookie wore contact lenses during her first seasons in the girl’s volleyball. She used goggles in grade 9 then brought back her contacts in the latter part of her high school career.
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She said wearing goggles do affect her peripheral vision, but Nitura made the right adjustments and got used to it to show her brilliance in offense and her impressive volleyball IQ.
“The disadvantages are that you have to get used to having this again. And especially your peripheral vision—you can’t see it as clearly. So, you need to put in extra effort to look side to side, and up and down,” Nitura told Inquirer Sports after pouring in 18 points and 11 digs in their 25-20, 25-15, 25-12 sweep of the University of the East on Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena.
“Like Coach said, it doesn’t matter what you wear, just play. Even if I didn’t have my glasses, if I want to play, I’ll play,” she added.
Adamson Falcons’ Shaina Nitura. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Nitura’s UAAP beach volleyball stint, where she used graded shades, also helped her get used to wearing goggles again.
READ: UAAP: Angel Canino praises rookie Shaina Nitura after first duel
“No matter what challenges come your way, if you really want to do something and you’re committed to it, you’ll push through. Just keep going. Challenges are a given,” she said. “It’s just automatic in life. There will always be challenges, but we have to face them.”
After Ateneo lost to La Salle last Saturday, Nitura was praised by former rookie MVP Angel Canino and 12-time champion coach Ramil De Jesus.
The former UAAP girls’ MVP and champion is grateful for the attention, but her focus remains on leading the way for the Lady Falcons, believing she’s starting to loosen up at the collegiate level.
“In the first few games, I was definitely stiff and really limited in what I could do. But with more experience and more games, I’ll be able to grow and take on more challenges,” she said. “Whether it’s La Salle, Ateneo, or any other team, we face them the same way. If we need to improve, like if we weren’t as hungry in the last game, we’ll adjust. Win or lose, we have to stay hungry and stay consistent.”
More than her special talent, Adamson coach JP Yude pins his hopes on Nitura’s leadership.
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“She can perform anywhere, she’s capable of doing it. But the most important thing is for her to be the right leader and set the right example for her teammates, both on and off the court, and how she handles pressure,” said Yude.
“There are a lot of expectations, but I always remind her to just be herself. Just play what you’ve been trained to do, and just be who you are. That’s all. You don’t need to copy anyone else, just be yourself.”
