From Ukay-Ukay Shoes to La Salle, Jenny Paguipo Kept Going

“Nagsimula po ako noong 8 years old. Totally di ko po talaga sports yung basketball. Sa amin po kasi may kalye-kalye. Nakikita ko lang po sa amin na may naglalaro. Tapos may nagsabi sa akin, ‘Oh, try mo maglaro.’ Sinubukan ko po, tapos nagustuhan ko. Patuloy ko lang po naglalaro kahit hindi ako nakakasabay sa mga magagaling. Sinubukan ko lang nang sinubukan hanggang sa nakarating po ako ngayon sa kung ano po ako.”

Jenny Paguipo never imagined basketball would become the biggest part of her life. As a child, she didn’t play organized sports, nor did she dream of becoming a collegiate athlete someday. Most afternoons were spent watching neighborhood games until one player casually asked if she wanted to join, a simple invitation that unknowingly changed the direction of her life.

The first few years weren’t filled with trophies or standout performances. She was often surrounded by players who were older, stronger, and far more experienced, but that never became a reason to stop playing. Jenny simply kept returning to the court, believing that every game gave her another chance to improve, even if she wasn’t the best player there yet.

Her uncle quickly noticed how much she loved basketball and became the first person to truly invest in her dream. He brought her to one tryout after another, hoping that someone would eventually recognize the potential he saw. Most of those tryouts ended in disappointment, but neither of them allowed rejection to become the end of the story.

“Meron po kasi akong tito na lagi po akong sinasama. Nakita niya po na gusto ko maglaro. Lagi niya akong sinasama sa mga tryout. Tapos, hindi po ako natatanggap.”

From Tryouts to Organized Basketball

That opportunity finally arrived when Chiang Kai Shek College accepted her into its basketball program during senior high school. Entering the team as a Grade 11 student at 17 years old, she experienced organized coaching for the first time and slowly transformed the raw skills she had developed on neighborhood courts into a more complete game. Those two years became the foundation that eventually earned her a place with the De La Salle Lady Archers.

People often ask where her crafty moves come from. The hesitation dribbles, convincing fakes, and calm footwork look like something learned from endless hours of studying film, but Jenny says the process was much simpler than that. She watched the people around her play, copied what caught her attention, and kept trying those same moves until they finally became part of her own game.

“Wala po. Hindi po gano’n. May nakikita lang po ako sa amin na gano’n, tapos sinusubukan ko siyang gawin hanggang sa na-apply ko siya sa totoong laro.”

Most of those lessons came while playing against boys. Long before she regularly competed in girls’ basketball, she spent countless afternoons matching up against male players whose physicality forced her to become stronger and more creative. Those games demanded toughness every possession, making later adjustments to women’s basketball feel surprisingly manageable.

“Mga lalaki po yung nakakalaban ko. Sinusubukan ko lang po hanggang sa natutunan ko yung mga gano’n. Hindi po talaga ako naglalaro sa mga babae. Noong first time ko maglaro sa mga babae, parang nanibago po ako. Kasi sa mga lalaki, pisikalan sobra. Para sa akin, mas mahirap kalaban yung mga lalaki.”

From Ukay-Ukay Shoes to Jordans

Jenny’s journey can also be told through the shoes she wore. Before better opportunities came her way, she played in a pair bought from an ukay-ukay, shoes that constantly slipped on the court and made every movement more difficult than it already was. She didn’t complain because they were the only pair she had.

“Ano lang po, sa ukay-ukay. Di po siya makapit sa court. Sobrang dulas po talaga.”

Everything changed when one of her coaches handed her a pair of Kyries. They weren’t simply another pair of basketball shoes. They became proof that someone believed she was worth investing in, and the difference was immediately noticeable every time she stepped onto the floor.

“Noong natanggap ko po yung bigay sa akin ng coach ko, parang mas dumadali lahat ng ginagawa mo kasi yung sapatos mo kumakapit sa court.”

The memory still makes her smile today. It wasn’t the brand that stayed with her the most—it was the feeling of finally having equipment that allowed her to play the game the way she wanted.

“Masaya po kasi first time ko magkaroon ng ganung sapatos.”

Years later, Jenny now owns her first pair of Jordans and is preparing to wear La Salle’s green and white. Looking back, the distance between those slippery secondhand shoes and where she is today reminds her that every sacrifice eventually led somewhere.

“Masaya po kasi lahat po ng pinaghihirapan ko parang nakikita ko po yung resulta.”

Learning to Block Out the Noise

Basketball itself was never the hardest obstacle she had to overcome. The criticism that came from outside the court often affected her more than any defender ever could. Hearing people call her arrogant stayed with her, even when all she wanted to do was play the sport she loved.

“Kapag napi-pressure po ako sa mga sinasabi ng ibang tao, tapos parang nasasabihan ako na mayabang. Doon po ako nasasaktan. Kasi naglalaro lang po ako.”

She eventually learned that there was only one way to quiet those voices. Instead of trying to answer every criticism, she focused on the one thing that had always been within her control, playing basketball.

“Iniisip ko na lang na wala akong ibang gagawin kundi maglaro lang. Pinapalakas ko lang yung loob ko sa sarili ko.”

Persistence Opens the Door to La Salle

Jenny Paguipo’s story isn’t defined by one life-changing moment. It is a collection of small opportunities that slowly opened bigger doors: an invitation to play, an uncle who never stopped bringing her to tryouts, coaches who believed in her potential, and a pair of shoes that reminded her what support could feel like. Those moments eventually led her to one of the country’s premier collegiate programs, where another chapter is about to begin.

The little girl who once struggled to keep her footing in secondhand shoes now steps onto the court wearing La Salle’s colors. Her path proves that talent may open doors, but persistence is what keeps them open.

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