Draft aspirant Rose Pinuela during the PVL Draft Combine. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — As cliché as it sounds, age is just a number for 39-year-old hopeful Rose Pinuela in the 2025 PVL Rookie Draft.

Being the oldest player in the draft class—and even older than 99 percent of current PVL players—won’t stop the Olivarez College product from chasing her pro dreams. Pinuela showed courage by joining the 59 other hopefuls, mostly from the UAAP and NCAA, at the two-day combine at Paco Arena.

FULL LIST: 2025 PVL Rookie Draft Aspirants 

A full-time professional model, Pinuela said she still has unfinished business with her true passion–volleyball. That’s why she entered this year’s draft despite lacking experience in the country’s major volleyball leagues.

39-year-old Rose Pinuela says age is just a number as she chases her dream in the #PVLDraft2025 | @LanceAgcaoilINQ pic.twitter.com/kxXFDZAgGR

— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) May 30, 2025

“Recently, my best friend told me, ‘Why not join the PVL Draft? That’s your passion.’ So I decided to go for it—to follow my passion, chase my dream, and pursue my goals in life,” Pinuela told reporters in Filipino.

“My faith in God keeps me going. No matter what challenges come my way, I just don’t give up. A lot of people have doubted me, saying I couldn’t do it—but I’m still here, still pursuing my passion for volleyball. This has always been my dream. I actually stopped playing for a while to try modeling because someone discovered me, and I gave it a shot.”

Draft aspirant Rose Pinuela during the PVL Draft Combine. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

The 5-foot-7 spiker and middle blocker said her drive to play also stems from the discrimination she’s faced throughout her life.

“I’ve faced a lot of discrimination in life, but I thank God I stayed positive. That’s why I want to keep going. I never want to give up. I want to keep chasing my dreams and goals because giving up isn’t an option for me,” she said.

“No matter what trials I faced, I just kept pushing forward. A lot of people told me I couldn’t do it, but thank God I’m still here. I kept going because volleyball is my dream.”

As the oldest draftee, Pinuela said she can still bring something valuable to any PVL team.

“What I can contribute is my positivity. I’ll always push my teammates to keep fighting, never give up, and always give our best,” she said.

Regardless of the result, Pinuela said she’s proud to try her luck and compete against the top young prospects in the country.

“For me, it’s all about sportsmanship. It’s okay that I didn’t come from the NCAA or UAAP. What matters is always trying my best and pushing for what I want. Just go for it,” she said.