07/07/2025
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๐๐๐๐๐๐ | ๐๐๐ญ๐ก๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ง ๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐: ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐
In the quiet corners of a billiard hall, a young girl once stood on a bench to reach the table, clutching a cue stick too big for her small hands, eyes gleaming with curiosity. That little girl is now Kathlyn Nicole Zaradulla, an incoming 4th year BSHM student at CVCITC, who has become a National Billiards Qualifier and a beacon of the institution.
Kathlynโs love for billiards began at an early age in Aklan, where her father ran a store with a billiard table. At just three years old, she started playing out of curiosity. Her passion only grew stronger when they moved to Isabela and she discovered another billiard setup in a neighborโs place. By Grades 4 and 5, she was already honing her skills.
Her breakthrough came in Grade 7, when she joined the intramurals at Sinsayon National High School and bagged first place in billiards. That win led her to the City Meet, where she again emerged victorious, and ultimately became a CAVRAA Champion, marking the start of her journey in competitive billiards. That same year, she qualified for Palarong Pambansa.
Though she didnโt win in Grade 8 and only earned a bronze medal in Grade 9 when Santiago hosted the games, her persistence never wavered. Even in Grade 10, she continued as a CAVRAA player until the pandemic put competitions on hold. In Grade 12, during a replacement regional meet called โDos Rise,โ she once again secured a bronze.
Ironically, Kathlyn had once planned to leave her billiards journey behind. "๐ฏ๐๐๐
๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐," she admitted, keeping her athletic past a secret during her early college years. It was fellow student Alyssa Laya who revealed her hidden talent to Sir Rodel Agustin. Despite Kathlynโs busy schedule and research responsibilities, she took the risk to return to the sport, and it paid off.
She credits much of her drive and discipline to her mentors, especially Sir Benny Gaffud, her elementary teacher who first saw her potential, and Sir Rodel Agustin, who encouraged her with the words: "๐ฏ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐, ๐
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐."
Balancing academics and athletics is not easy, especially for a college student. But for Kathlyn, itโs all about discipline. Despite the demands of training and competitions, she continues to perform well in her studies. For her, success in both sports and academics is possible when you remain grounded and disciplined. โ๐ฒ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐
๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐,โ she said. A simple but powerful reminder of the mindset that keeps her going.
Beyond sports, she dreams of working on a cruise ship, whether in food and beverage or as a room attendant. Sheโs also passionate about encouraging others to pursue Hospitality Management. โ๐พ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐,โ she says. โ๐ด๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ด ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐.โ
For aspiring student-athletes, her message is clear: โ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐โ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐
๐๐โ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐. ๐ณ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ป๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐.โ
Today, Kathlyn is not just a champion, but also an inspiration to others. Her success has made history in CVCITC, and both her family and school community are proud of her. โThank you,โ she says, โbecause CVCITC molded me into a player, a student, and a future professional.โ
And when you ask her which billiard ball is her favorite? Sheโll say number 9โbecause for her, thatโs the number of champions.
๐พ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐: ๐ฏ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐จ๐๐๐๐
๐ฌ๐
๐๐๐๐-๐๐-๐ช๐๐๐๐
