ILOILO City – The sacrifice of being away from their family is definitely worth it for Ilongga ballers Kaye and Karl Ann Pingol.
“It was really hard for us to be away from our family,” said the five-foot-six Kaye during a Sports LANG Zoom podcast hosted by Rodolfo Go Villaruz and Emel Maulas.
“However, it helped eased the burden sa parents namin dahil kami ay scholar sa Manila,” the five-foot-eight Karl Ann added.
Kaye was recruited by Adamson University Lady Falcons before spending the last two years of her University Athletic Association of the Philippines career as a winner with the National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs.
Karl Ann, for her part, is an incoming rookie who decided to banner the NU colors like her sister. She spent her senior high school with the Chiang Kai Shek College and won gold for the country during an ASEAN School Games tournament.
The sisters admitted they were late bloomers in women’s basketball. They only learned sport through their Pototan National High School coach Stephen Guanco.
“Volleyball ang sport ko nung elementary,” revealed Karl Ann, a Jr. WNBA All-Star in 2014, a Palarong Pambansa champion and most valuable player and a member of Philippine 3×3 basketball team.
The Pingol sisters hope to inspire other athletes that late blooming in a sport is not a hindrance to be successful.
“To the young aspiring athletes, keep on dreaming. Give your very best in every game, make your failure as a motivation to succeed and work hard in every situation,” Karl Ann said./PN
