Despite being veterans in their respective sports, Allana Lim and Rosemarie Vargas continue to encourage each other to shine in life, love, and competitive play.
For most people, career and relationships are two separate facets of an individual. But for Discovery Perlas’ Allana Lim and Creamline Cool Smasher Rosemarie Vargas, both are conveniently rolled into one as professional athletes.
With Lim continuing to play competitive basketball with Discovery Perlas, and Vargas’ own career with the Cool Smashers in the PVL, the duo are still very much in the thick of things at athletes, even as they are already in their 30s.
A key factor in keeping themselves relevant in their respective sports has been their support for each other, which involve a lot of discipline.
According to Lim, even at this stage in their relationship, having been together since their collegiate years in FEU, they are continuing to push each other to the highest standards required by their respective sports.
“Pagdating naman sa relationship ko kay Rose, I’m very strict, kaya nga minsan sinasabihan niya ako na 'hindi mo ako player ah,'” Lim quipped to One Sports.
“Kasi ganun ko siya ma-impart sa kanya yung disiplina, kasi unang-una, yun nga, sinasabi niya [rin sakin na] uy matanda ka na, ganito ganyan. Pero hindi hindrance yun para itigil ako sa pagba-basketball dahil matanda na ako. Hindi ganun yun. So yun, grabe siya dumisiplina.”
For Lim, Vargas’ role in her sporting career wasn’t just a cheerleader on the sidelines, in the same way that it wasn’t the case for her whenever Vargas played for the Cool Smashers.
Competitive in their own right, Lim said that they lift themselves up to be the best athlete that they can be, and at the end of the day, it pays off in the best of ways.
“Kasi syempre nakikita niya sa akin. Ako wala akong any bisyo, di ako nagpupuyat, may tatlong trabaho ako pero, yung makuha niya ah yung partner ko nga, may dalawang trabaho pa yun tapos naglalaro pa yun, competitive na basketball talaga. And lagi ko talaga siyang ginaguide,” said the former national team player.
“Awa ng Diyos naman, magte-ten years na siya sa Creamline,” she added, talking about Vargas' lasting commitment with the Cool Smashers.
As their careers surge on, with Lim set to play in the now-pro league Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (WMPBL) and Vargas continuing her tenure with the Creamline Cool Smashers in the PVL, both athletes will be eager to continue to show up and support each other.
After all, there’s nothing sweeter than winning both in sports, and in life, with a supportive and helpful partner.
“Supportahan lang kami sa career namin and every game, or every practice, nanonood yan si Rose. So dun pa lang, yung boost ng motivation na makita ko siya, supportahan niya ko, kahit san man yun. Umaraw, umalan, nandiyan siya palagi so sobrang laking bagay na yun sakin,” she said.