How 'Doc AJ' stayed ready for beach volleyball tryouts

ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/sports/05/17/20210517-beach-volley_aj-pareja.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption>AJ Pareja during the beach volleyball tryouts in Subic.<em> Handout photo</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA, Philippines -- During the recent tryouts for the national beach volleyball team in Subic, AJ Pareja wowed his fellow athletes with his performance.</p><p>Pareja, who is vying to become an accredited FIVB doctor, made it to the 10-man pool for the national men&#x27;s beach volleyball team.</p><p>The 6-foot-4 athlete is balancing his career as a doctor as well as being a beach volleyball player, which he said isn&#x27;t &quot;an overnight success.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Regardless if gyms or training facilities were closed, I kept my physical condition with home-based workouts as well as keeping my nutrition in check despite the constant temptation of binging at home,&quot; said Pareja, who had the comebacking James Pecaña as his partner during the tryouts.</p><p>&quot;The biggest key to my performance is having a professional coach who helped me study the sport at home and analyze lots and lots of videos of how the elite level beach players do it,&quot; he added.</p><p>Pareja is no stranger in playing for the country, as the former Ateneo de Manila University middle hitter made a triumphant return to indoor volleyball in 2015 when he represented the Philippines in the 28th Southeast Asian Games in Singapore.</p><p>It marked the first time in 10 years that the Philippines competed in the SEA Games.</p><p>Prior to that, Pareja passed the Physician Licensure Examination in 2014. Since then, Pareja was able to juggle time with his profession and the sport that he loves.</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;ve been living out this balancing act ever since from college, med school, even during medical practice so I kind of have a grasp of it,&quot; Pareja explained. &quot;It&#x27;s all about accepting that both commitments have high demands and figuring out when you can compromise effort for either one without negatively affecting the overall result.&quot;</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;ve learned to say no when it doesn&#x27;t help in the progress of either commitment. It also helps a lot to have a support circle that understands your frequent absences because of these commitments,&quot; the former UAAP MVP added.</p><p>Aside from making it to the national team pool, Pareja is also part of the Creamline beach volleyball program.</p><p>&quot;As the team MD of Creamline Beach, I will ensure that the athletes are free from any injuries and that they&#x27;re keeping themselves safe and healthy despite the pandemic. Drafting the medical protocols for all team activities has been both a learning and fulfilling activity for me especially to my other life as an MD,&quot; said Pareja, who joined the program last year.</p><div><strong>FROM THE ARCHIVES:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wFSn1awVrAg?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>During the recent tryouts for the national beach volleyball team in Subic, AJ Pareja wowed his fellow athletes with his performance.</p>

During the recent tryouts for the national beach volleyball team in Subic, AJ Pareja wowed his fellow athletes with his performance.

How 'Doc AJ' stayed ready for beach volleyball tryouts | ABS-CBN

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How 'Doc AJ' stayed ready for beach volleyball tryouts

How 'Doc AJ' stayed ready for beach volleyball tryouts

ABS-CBN News

Published May 17, 2021 03:52 PM PHT

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Creamline Beach Volleyball

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