On her 37th birthday, 2010 Shakey's V-League Most Valuable Player Sue Roces has decided to hang up her sneakers.
"First time ko ia-announce na ngayong 2022 para sa mga naging fans ko, lahat ng coaches at teammates ko, at fans ng Perlas, I've decided to retire," Roces told Abante Tonite's Sportalakan hosted by her partner Sarah Asido. "Happy naman na ako. Pinagisipan ko na yun last year pa bago mag-end yung taon. So decided na ako mag-retire sa paglalaro."
The 5-foot-10 spiker out of University of the East has been a mainstay in the V-League for almost two decades.
During the early years of the league, Roces would be a guest player for Adamson University, University of Santo Tomas, San Sebastian College-Recoletos, Ateneo de Manila University, and the Philippine Navy.
She powered UST to the top during the 2007 second conference, San Sebastian in the 2007 second conference and the 2012 open conference, and Ateneo in the 2012 first conference.
Roces was also part of the PLDT team that won the 2015 Open and Reinforced Conferences.
In 2008, Roces would be adjudged as the Finals Most Valuable Player while in 2010, she was hailed as the Conference Most Valuable Player.
After her stint with PLDT, Roces also played for BaliPure and Perlas, where she would finish her career.
"Gusto ko mag-thank you sa lahat ng nakasama ko mula Grade Six ako hanggang sa huling laro ko sa PVL," said the native of Bulacan.
"Nagpapasalamat din ako kay Coach Roger [Gorayeb], parang tatay ko na 'yan at love na love ko 'yan. Nagpapasalamat din ako sa Perlas, pamilya ko yan at nagpapasalamat ako na sila ang huling nakasama ko. Nagpapasalamat din ako kay Charo [Soriano] dahil hindi ko lang siya naging kaibigan at teammate."
Looking back, Roces has no regrets about how her career went.
"Para sa akin, kuntento na ako sa mga nangyari sa akin, yung mga na-achieve ko. Kung ano na lang ibibigay ni God, ready lang ako."
