This Iloilo native is only 16 years old and currently a Grade 10 student at the Luyos National High School in Tanauan, Batangas but her
future in softball looks very good indeed.
Palma is the starting pitcher for the Tanauan City team that recently won the Cebuana Lhuillier-ASAPHIL U-18 Women’s Softball Championship held in Marikina late last year and her superb pitching convinced the organizers to give her the Most Valuable Player (MVP ) award.
Winning is nothing new to this girl who started playing softball seven years ago to follow in the footsteps of her elder sister Royeve, who is now her back-up pitcher in Tanauan.
In 2011 and 2012, she already played for the back-to-back national and Asia Pacific Region champion team Iloilo in age-group softball tourneys and has even reached the World Series in Oregon in the United States.
Even as her home team has disbanded three years ago, she was already in the list of must-have players of her current Tanauan coach Barangay Captain Ramil Mercado, a former PUP softball player and he lost no time in recruiting Royevele and her older sister for his team.
And just to show how good the team has become in just three years, it got eliminated on its first year but reached the finals on its second year in 2016, losing to Bacolod in the final.
In 2017, the team finally emerged champion by beating Sta. Maria, Bulacan in an exciting finale.
It was a mean feat considering that softball is only on its third year as one of the identified sports of Tanauan Mayor Thony Halili, who has included sports in his core programs, “ as an anti drug abuse campaign for the youth at the same time provide opportunities for young athletes to improve their lives.”
Definitely for Royevele, softball has been very good for her.
Last year, she was recruited to join the Blu Girls and became theyoungest pitcher in the team. She saw action with the team in its three international campaigns abroad and helped improved the world rankings of the Philippines from no.17 to no.15 in the 2017 ranking.
With Royevele holding her own and with the presence of Fil-Ams in the team, “ she had a lot of playing time in important games and that shows the potential of this girl, I believe that in a few years’ time, she will be the country’s top pitcher, “ according to Mercado.
Describing his ward, Mercado cited Royevele’s very good attitude. “she does what she is asked to do by her pitching coach in the Blu Girls, she has leadership potentials that we are developing. On the skills side, she has very good ball speed and can throw the ball where needed, meaning situational awareness. And she is working on her knowledge of the game and wants to be familiar with other positions in the field, “ Mercado added.
For her part, this young athlete, who dreams of becoming a teacher, has already reached part of her dream in her chosen sport as she has made it to the Blu Girls already and is playing an important role too.
“Gusto ko po makalaro sa World Championship at tingin ko po ay kaya nating makasabay dun sa ibang malakas na teams, yung mga Fil-Ams sa team, malaking tulong, mabibilis at malalaki sila, marami akong natututunan sa kanila. “ said Royevele .
She admits to being nervous when fielded in for big games.
“Pero nilalabanan ko pa at nakakaya naman. Nagpapasalamat po ako dun sa coach ko sa Iloilo, si coach Rey Fuentes, siya nag develop ng attitude ko sa game, maging humble daw ako palagi. Kay coach Marciano Sta. Maria, pitching coach namin sa Blu Girls sa mga tinuturo niya, kay Coach Ramil, at kay Mayor
Halili sa suporta niya sa sports at sa team namin. “
Definitely at her young age, and with the resurgence of softball in the country, this young pitcher will literally go places.
