Dzi Gervacio: Beyond the Court 

Ateneo de Manila University takes pride in nurturing the intellectual growth of its students. However, what often goes unnoticed is the institution’s emphasis on the body’s physical well-being. This is especially true for their student-athletes. Boasting over fifteen collegiate teams, years of participation in the NCAA and UAAP, and multiple championships, the student-athletes embody the institution’s motto of sound mind and sound body. The Ateneo story of Dzi Gervacio (AB POS 2013), alumna and former member of the women’s volleyball team, exemplifies this. 

Dzi Gervacio’s love for sports began early in her life. With supportive parents who believed in the importance of an active lifestyle, she initially took up swimming and gymnastics before discovering her ultimate passion: volleyball. It was during one of her school’s intramurals that she and her friends decided to try the sport. As her first team sport, volleyball introduced her to a new environment, a new culture, and new friends. 

Throughout her high school years, she continued to pursue volleyball and became part of the Manila selection for district meets. As college approached, so did the seriousness of the sport in her life. She knew she wanted to continue playing as an athlete, and that the best choice for her was to enter Ateneo as a student-athlete. 

“When we were choosing our colleges, we wanted to take that risk with Ateneo.” At that time, the university was rebuilding its volleyball program with a new coach and a new line-up. This rebranding of the team encouraged Gervacio and a few of her friends to take that leap. 

Dzi Gervacio entered the university in 2008  as a Political Science major with aspirations of becoming a lawyer post-graduation. Balancing both studies and sports was not an easy task. Her daily routine revolved around the dorm, training sessions, and straight into classes. She fondly recalls memories from showing up to class with wet hair to eating during lectures. Nevertheless, she remains grateful for her professors who appreciated the efforts of student-athletes. 

While being a Blue Eagle consumed much of her college experience, her academic pursuits also seeped into her athletic journey. "More than the readings,  it was training me to work hard and to handle hard challenges,” Gervacio reflects. While in her final year of college in 2012, she decided to minor in European Studies with the hopes of one day becoming a diplomat or ambassador, representing the Philippines on a global stage. At the same time, Gervacio began to make a name for herself in the Ateneo community, in the sports scene, and in the country. Alongside her team, she brought back volleyball as one of Ateneo’s premier sports. The next question soon began to form, would she continue with the sport even after college? 

Right after graduating in 2013, Gervacio started law school in the Ateneo de Manila School of Law but remained active in the volleyball scene.   As part of a commercial team for the semi-pro leagues, her days consisted of classes in the morning and volleyball practices at night, with lots of studying sandwiched in between. Struggling to balance both sports and studies, she eventually faced an important decision: to choose one path to follow.

It was during this time of reflection when Gervacio, along with her former Atenean teammates, co-founded the Beach Volleyball Republic (BVR), a platform that helped grow the sport of beach volleyball in the country. This newfound appreciation for the sport eventually led her to leave law school and commit fully to a career as a beach volleyball player. By 2018, she represented the Philippines in the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball Beach Volleyball World Tour hosted by the BVR in Manila, and in 2019, took home the bronze medal with the National Team at the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

This new chapter introduced Gervacio to roles beyond being an athlete, including managerial and leadership responsibilities. Knowing there was still much to learn, she decided to take up a Master’s degree in Sports Management in the United States in 2020. However, soon after landing in the U.S., her plans were disrupted by the onset of the pandemic. Hoping for a more hands-on experience rather than online studies, Gervacio found herself in another dilemma: to continue her studies albeit online or return home. Realizing that her current situation was not what she had planned, she decided to let her Master’s go and come back home. 

As soon as she arrived back in the country, Gervacio reached out to the Far Eastern University (FEU), who contacted her right as her studies started, to ask if there was still an opportunity for her. While her plans for studying sports management had come to an end, she eventually landed the role of program director for FEU’s women’s volleyball team. Similarly to Ateneo when she first joined, FEU was also starting with a blank canvas post pandemic. This gave her the space to learn how to run things, find the right people, and set the culture and environment fit for athletes. With the team in last place in her first season as program director, “there was nowhere to go but up,” Gervacio states. 

The next few years for Gervacio revolved around restructuring their strategies. When asked about her role, she says “it is about making sure you set your team up for success.” Knowing what it was like to be a student-athlete herself, she understood what they needed. Her main goal was to make sure that everything was all set in place for her team, allowing them to simply show up and concentrate on their training. During the previous season, her team landed in the semifinals. 

Earlier this year, Gervacio officially retired as an athlete. She recalls asking herself “if I take out playing, I’m taking out so much of who I am. I’m freeing up so much space, what do I do next?” 

Amidst this confusing time, Gervacio found herself back in touch with her Ateneo roots. From reconnecting with old Atenean acquaintances and friends to meeting other Atenean men and women in sports, she realized, along with all of them, that they continued to embody Magis and service. Both inside and outside the court, for her, it is still about doing more and serving others. 

Looking back on her life thus far, Gervacio has no regrets in all of the choices she’s made. In fact, she believes her life has not deviated away far from her dreams  in college. Initially aspiring to be a public servant, her path has evolved to serving athletes. She has also fulfilled her dream of representing the country on the global stage, a goal she set when pursuing her minor. The skills she had learned in Political Science and law school have transferred into her skills as both athlete and director, one that hinders on hard work. 

When asked about the phrase Mens sana in corpore sano, Gervacio highlights it was both mind and body that brought her to where she is now, and it is what she wants to continue to pass on to her athletes. “You plant the seeds. But it’s different when you see that they nurture the growth of that seed and share it with others.” 

At this next part of her life, Gervacio remembers it takes a village to raise an athlete. From her parents and family to her teammates in the different chapters of her life, from professors and coaches to her relationships and connections within the sports community, each have all played a role in the athlete and leader she is today. To answer what she will do next in life, it is to remain part of that village.