EJ Laure is stepping into an exciting new chapter of her career, ready to spread her wings and embrace a fresh challenge with Nxled, after a long and successful stint with Chery Tiggo. The 27-year-old outside hitter is eager to step out of her comfort zone and experience a new chapter in her professional journey.
Since her high school days at the University of Santo Tomas, Laure has been under the mentorship of Kungfu Reyes, a figure who has supported her growth both as a player and as a person. This relationship continued seamlessly even as she transitioned into the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) in 2022, where Reyes was a constant presence with Chery Tiggo, taking on roles from assistant coach to team manager.
"Siguro gusto ko lumabas sa comfort zone ko and siyempre new experience din kasi since ang tagal ko sa Chery, parang bagong lang ma-experience," Laure shared, revealing her desire for change after years of familiarity with the Crossovers.
Her eagerly awaited debut with the Nxled Chameleons, however, will have to wait as Laure focuses on building chemistry with her new teammates. After joining the team’s practice just this past Monday, she was unavailable for their Tuesday matchup against none other than her former squad, Chery Tiggo.
"Siguro kasi depende kay Coach Ettore [Guidetti]. Kasi yun, since yesterday pa lang din ako nag-training sa kanila," she explained, underscoring that her integration into the team is still in its early stages.
To add to the challenges, Laure is still recovering from a knee injury that sidelined her for the entire 2024 Reinforced Conference. Despite the setback, she remains positive about her recovery process, noting that her focus is on regaining her full strength.
“Dati nung nasa Chery pa lang, parang nagre-recover pa rin talaga ako. So ngayon naman, nakakabola na ako,” Laure shared, expressing how far she's come since her injury and how she’s gradually getting back into her rhythm with ball drills.
Though her journey back to full fitness is ongoing, Laure is determined to be a key player for the Chameleons once she’s given the green light to return to the court. But beyond her personal recovery, Laure is also keen on taking on a leadership role for her new team, hoping to help them rise from a tough period in the 2024 Reinforced Conference, where they dropped their last seven matches. The Chameleons have also struggled at the start of the 2024-25 All-Filipino Conference, losing their first two games.
For Laure, leadership is not about being the loudest in the room, but about leading by example and inspiring through action rather than words.
“Siguro leadership talaga and actually kasi hindi naman talaga ako vocal. Gusto ko talaga yung parang in action ko gawin para hindi sila nape-pressure,” she said, emphasizing her preference for action over verbal motivation.
