Veteran spiker Carmela Tunay announced her retirement from volleyball on Tuesday, May 18.

“Actually I’ve told a couple of friends that I won’t be playing so I’m officially ‘retired’,” the open spiker bared her decision in an interview on One Sports’ The Game.

Tunay explained that she didn’t make her announcement public as she made her decision during the national team tryouts.

“I haven’t made like a public post or announcement about it because I didn’t want to draw attention because during the time I told my team na I won’t be pursuing na volleyball, it was the time na mainit yung usapan sa volleyball. So I didn’t want any attention na mapunta pa sa ‘kin (It was the time Philippine volleyball talks were at a peak, so I didn’t want to draw any attention),” continued Tunay.

Though she was set to captain Peak Form, one of the new teams in the professional Premier Volleyball League (PVL), the former University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigress already informed her squad.

“During the time I told my team that I won’t be pursuing volleyball anymore, it was the time na mainit ‘yung usapan (there were big talks) about the national team,” added the former Petron Blaze Spiker.

Though she won’t be on the court anymore, Tunay will be focusing on her work as an agent and manager for Virtual Playground – a local sports management agency – and other businesses.

“It’s good that even after I’m letting go of something I’m super passionate about, I’m trading it for something na super love ko din (that I also love),” said Tunay.

The 25-year-old former spiker also finished her master’s degree first before making a decision on her retirement.

Tunay joined UST after the Golden Tigresses won their last UAAP women’s volleyball title in 2010. She ended her collegiate career in 2015 and played for Cignal and Petron in the Philippine Superliga. – Rappler.com