Bella Belen finds pickleball reset amid volleyball duties with Capital1

Bella Belen shared how pickleball has become her go-to outlet away from volleyball, helping her stay mentally refreshed while also sharpening parts of her game.

For Bella Belen, recovery does not always mean rest. Sometimes, it means picking up another racket.

As the demands of professional volleyball continue to grow, the Capital1 Solar Spikers star is learning that staying at her best is not just about training harder or getting more reps in the gym. It is also about finding space away from the sport — something that allows her to breathe, reset, and return with a clearer mind.

That space, lately, has come in the form of pickleball.What began as a passing curiosity on social media has quietly turned into one of Belen’s favorite ways to decompress, especially after long stretches of training and competition.

“Last year kasi, parang dumadaan na siya sa feed ko na maraming naglalaro ng pickleball. Sabi ko, gusto ko rin itong i-try pero that time, wala akong kakilala. Wala akong friends na naglalaro ng pickleball,” Belen shared during the PVL’s Media Day.

“Tapos this year, nakita ko na may mga friends ako naglalaro ng pickleball. Ayun, sabi ko, i-try ko, then doon nagsimula lahat.”

For an athlete whose routine has long revolved around volleyball, the appeal was not just the game itself — it was what the game offered outside of competition.

Belen admitted that when everything starts to revolve around volleyball, the pressure can build faster than people realize. Bad training days, frustrating performances, and the natural weight of expectations can easily stay with a player long after practice ends.

That is where stepping away, even briefly, has made a difference.”Feeling ko kasi, pag puro volleyball nalang isipin ko, mas lalo akong ma-stress and mas clouded ‘yung utak ko, lalo na siguro if may days na pangit ‘yung training or pangit ‘yung game ko, so mas lalo ko siyang i-overthink,” she said.

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IMBIS NA PA-GANON, PA-GANON EH

Capital1 Solar Spikers’ Bella Belen gets goofy as she tries her hand at pickleball, spiking the ball hard like she’s still on the volleyball court after her opponent shows her a strong move.#PVL2026

TikTok | Bella Belen pic.twitter.com/mvIewn0svr

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) January 13, 2026

“Maganda rin siguro may hobbies outside volleyball para mas stress-free.” More than just a distraction, pickleball has become a way for Belen to mentally hit reset.

The shift in environment — from teammates and team systems to a completely different set of people and a more relaxed setting — has given her a kind of break that volleyball itself cannot always provide.

“Kasi, siyempre, iba naman ang kasama ko—hindi teammates ko—so new environment naman,” Belen shared.

“Ayun, very refreshing siya every time maglalaro ako ng pickleball. Parang na-reset ‘yung utak ko pag naglalaro ako ng pickleball, then volleyball naman.”

That sense of balance may be one of the more important adjustments Belen is making as she continues settling into the professional ranks.

For years, she has been defined by winning, consistency, and the pressure that comes with being one of the country’s brightest volleyball stars. But life as a pro is teaching her that performance is not just built during training sessions and matches — it is also shaped by how well an athlete manages everything in between.

And interestingly enough, the sport she picked up for fun may also be helping her game.Belen sees familiar demands in pickleball, particularly in the way it forces quick movement, coordination, and fast reactions — all of which translate naturally to volleyball.

“Sa pickleball kasi need mabilis footwork and coordination mo. So, I think natutulungan niya ako since sa volleyball need mabilis na reaction since mabilis ‘yung bola,” Belen explained.

“Medyo napagtutugma ko naman sila at hindi ako nalilito sa rules. Hindi ko pa sila namimix-and-match. May tulong din naman si pickleball sa volleyball,” she laughingly added.

Now with her 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference campaign behind her, Belen has a small but meaningful window to recharge.

And for one of Philippine volleyball’s busiest stars, that reset no longer comes from doing less. Sometimes, it comes from playing something else.

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