After their Invitational exit, the Akari Chargers will get a huge boost at the middle with the arrival of a UAAP Season 85 Women’s Volleyball Champion.
The news of former De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Spiker Fifi Sharma joining the Akari Chargers sent shockwaves to the Philippine volleyball community.
Questions swirled around social media as to why the vastly-improved middle blocker opted to turn pro even with three playing years left in La Salle.
To shed light on the matter, Sharma sat down with Akari Sports. The former Lady Spiker revealed that she and her family went countless of hours discussing her options, and eventually, they believed that signing with Akari was the next best move for her volleyball career.
“There are a lot of factors that came into consideration when making this decision pero at the end, I think it was mostly a family decision,” Sharma said.
Being a Lady Spiker for six years (two in senior high school while four in college) and capping it off with a championship, the decision was truly difficult because of the unbreakable connection she built with her teammates and coaches. Nevertheless, she’s ready to take the leap.
“It was really hard to decide to turn pro and leave my old team (DLSU) because I’ve been with them for so many years, bonded with my old teammates. built really strong connections and relationships with them, but yeah I’m excited for this new chapter in my life,” Sharma said.
Now that she’s in Chargers territory, the 5-foot-11 middle blocker is thrilled to play with her teammates and is ready to provide the energy and positivity to the team.
“I’m so excited to learn how everybody plays and how we mix well inside the court. I think the biggest thing I can bring to the Akari Chargers is energy and good vibes inside the court,” she said.
In Akari, the fiesty middle blocker is ready to contribute in any way she can and aspires to expand her game under head coach Jorge Souza de Brito and with the rest of the Chargers.
“Joining my new team, I am looking forward to improve myself in terms of my court knowledge, my skills of course being under a new system, a new coach, new teammates. I’m sure I’m going to be learning so much more in this team,” Sharma stated, “I’m very much willing to help in every aspect that I can to contribute to the team’s improvement,” she added.
The Chargers displayed a glimpse of their potential in the 2023 PVL Invitational Conference. Although the team settled for 10th place in the rankings, the La Salle product applauded her teammates for leveling up as the games went along.
“I think they played really good this conference! I saw how each and everyone improved each game especially how much they improved as a team. I loved how each game was better than the last and that just showed so much growth so overall I’m really happy with how everyone performed,” the newest Charger acclaimed.
Sharma would have sharpened the frontline and possibly change the fortunes of the Chargers in the ongoing tournament, but unfortunately, she did not see action — missing the league office’s deadline for the submission of the final roster.
“Too bad that I did not play in this [Invitational] conference because I was only able to join right before the conference started so unfortunately that’s not enough time for me to be able to play,” Sharma disclosed.
It may not have been the ideal collegiate exit for some, but the middle blocker is surely happy in Akari because of the overflowing amount of support she has gotten since joining the team. With this, she can’t wait to don its colors soon.
“Thank you so much for your support. I’m so excited to play for you guys and the team. Thank you for your undying love and support for the team.”
