By Iste Sesante Leopoldo
CEBUANO Edward Ybañez of mCignal HD Spikers captured the Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) award after leading the team over Air Force in the best-of-three finals of the Spikers’ Turf Open Conference last Sunday night at the Arena in San Juan City.
The MVP of the conference award went to Mark Alfafara of team PLDT Home Ultra Fast Hitters.
Team Cebu City beach volleyball team. Standing (L-R) Edward Ybanez, Edmar Bonono and Jade Becaldo.
The 25-year-old who hails from Lapu-Lapu City is a former member of the Cebu City men’s beach volleyball team and had 13 points to lead Cignal over the Air Force, 25-17, 32-30, 25-23.
“I am so happy with what I have achieved in this tournament because I really didn’t expect to receive this award since I just joined the team this year. I feel so blessed. I dedicate this award to my three-year-old Kylie Daine and to my wife Diane. They are the reasons behind my success because they were my source of inspiration,” said Ybañez.
Ybañez’s experience in the sand courts gave him the confidence and agility inside the court and because of that he got the moniker Mr. Paper.
“They call me Mr. Paper because they think I am so light and I get a lot of hang time every time I jump for a spike,” said Ybañez.
Ybañez considers this as one of his greatest achievements in life since he started playing volleyball as a fourth year high school at the Gun-ob National High School in Lapu-Lapu City.
“I used to play basketball but I shifted to volleyball because I enjoyed playing the sport and I wanted to use it as an avenue to earn an athletic scholarship when I reached college,” said Ybañez, who is the third child in a brood of six.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on December 08, 2015.
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