Rachel Anne Daquis continues reinventing herself after two decades in the local volleyball scene.
Acknowledging that Father Time is slowly catching up on her and the emergence of rising talents, the decorated winger is looking for other means to contribute to her young club Farm Fresh.
Getting her feet wet once again after more than a year of volleyball sabbatical, she vows to get back in top form and keep pace with the new generation of volleyball stars with her wit, sharpened from vast experience on the battlefield.
“Before I loved playing with power but now, I love playing smarter,” Daquis said, following her Foxies debut in the 2024-2025 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference Thursday night.
The multi-titled spiker came in off the bench late in the opening set and saw minutes in the second frame scoring one point in Farm Fresh’s 28-26, 17-25, 25-19, 25-17, victory over the Galeries Tower at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
“Even during training, I always try to outwit my teammates. It’s true, it annoys them,” Daquis said with a chuckle.
“My mindset is that you don’t always need power. You must play smart. There are a lot of young and strong players now but smart players always have the edge. And that’s what eyeing for.”
The former national team standout joined Farm Fresh in October last year after parting ways with Cignal.
Her last appearance in the PVL prior to her comeback was during the Invitational Conference battle for bronze back on 20 July 2023.
Daquis left for Spain where she ventured into business, opening the first Filipino bakery in Barcelona: Forn de Manila.
She also pursued further studies in the industry at the International School for Culinary Arts and Hotel Management upon her return to the country.
Joining a team filled with up-and-coming stars in Trisha Tubu and Jolina dela Cruz, Daquis hopes to share her knowledge and experience with the younger Foxies as they strive to make their mark in the league.
“I have nothing more to prove in my career, this is for the young ones. My biggest contribution is leading them inside the court. How to make the team intact. I want to create a blueprint for them,” she said.
“The team is already a full package. What I can contribute is to become the team’s glue guy. I think that’s the most important.”
Daquis is striving to get back to her old dangerous form as Farm Fresh looks to make a serious run deep in the playoffs.
“Getting there. I believe in perfect timing because we have a long conference. I believe in the system of coach Boc (Benson Bocboc) and his decision when to rotate players. I’m ready anytime,” she said.