On her way to becoming one of the country’s top volleyball players, Diana Mae “Tots” Carlos has had her fair share of ups and downs — and everything in between. Almost a decade into it, the three-time Premier Volleyball League MVP is still on a spike, promising that she’s yet to show the best version of herself on the court.
By Ma. Angelica Demegillo
Photography by Mark Chester Ang
The night before the shoot for PeopleAsia’s “Women of Style and Substance” issue, Creamline Cool Smashers’ opposite hitter Tots Carlos, one of the fiercest players on the court, dominated a game at the PhilSports Arena. She was hitting spikes left and right, gloriously countering opponents’ attacks during a heated match against F2 Logistics Cargo Movers at the 2023 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Invitational Conference semifinals.
Tots, who scored 20 strong hits and defended with 17 receptions, assisted in taking home the Cool Smashers’ victory and helping secure the team’s spot in the finals.
Despite only having a few winks and coming fresh from an event and training, the cool Tots marched off to Raffles Makati and gamely posed for the cameras for PeopleAsia.
“After the game, I slept at around 2 a.m. I still felt the adrenaline rush and I found it hard to sleep,” Tots explains. Unfortunately, the Creamline Smashers lost to the Japanese team Kurashiki Ablaze during the finals.
Standing at 5’7”, Tots is often praised for her versatility and agility in the volleyball court. Her well-calculated spikes and strong defense are considered as some of her best assets. Despite only being with Creamline Cool Smashers for three years, she has already bagged three Most Valuable Player (MVP) titles. She has also cinched back-to-back MVP and Best Spiker awards in the 2022 PVL Open Conference and 2022 PVL Invitational Conference. Last March, she claimed her third MVP and Best Opposite Spiker awards at the 2023 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
Her start line
Hailing from Lubao, Pampanga, Tots shares that she has always been into sports. And while it was badminton from third to fifth grade, her journey took her to the volleyball court, when brother Gerald Magtoto, who, at that time, played collegiate volleyball for the University of the Philippines (UP), coaxed her to try the sport. Under his tutelage, Tots joined her school’s volleyball team at Santiago Elementary School, before transferring to Sta. Cruz Academy of Lubao.
Being the tallest member in her team, she became a middle blocker and would often be sent to compete and represent other teams in Palarong Pambansa. On a more practical note, playing volleyball helped Tots and her brother secure scholarships, and thus ease the burden of their mom, who was raising them on her own.
From then on, Tots’ life took a turn for the better.
Despite several attempts from other universities, Tots, who’s highly inspired and influenced by her brother, found her heart set for UP. There, she proved that she was a force to be reckoned with. As an outside hitter, this UP Lady Fighting Maroon proved that she was one of the hottest recruits in the UAAP 78th Season.
Eventually, she played semi-professional volleyball with Motolite Power Builders in 2019, before joining Creamline Cool Smashers after her previous team disbanded. There, she took the opportunity to join a prominent national team and play alongside decorated players, such as “phenom” Alyssa Valdez, Michele Gumabao and Jia Morado, among others.
“I joined Creamline because I wanted to experience a new system. After UP and Motolite, I had the same coach, so I wanted a new experience,” she shares.
All about teamplay
Transitioning from collegiate and semi-professional to professional volleyball, she says, was challenging at first, but the experience pushed her to go beyond her comfort zone. In the professional setting, she learned to control her body language and emotions, which are two major factors that athletes also need to master.
“The difference between collegiate and professional volleyball is the level of discipline and maturity. [Creamline’s] culture pushed me to be more mature, professional and disciplined,” she shares.
“Because my teammates are champion players from De La Salle, Ateneo and FEU (Far Eastern University), their individuality and character inspired me to push myself to be more competitive,” she further explains.
“When I joined Creamline, I was very inspired to do better because I wanted to be on the same level. My teammates work so hard and I really respect them for that.”
Back when she was just a “starter,” her persistence earned her praises from her coaches and teammates.
“I always think of how I could give my best. Our goal is to uplift the team and win as one,” she shares. “I would say that ‘ball is life,’ but I really appreciate my Creamline family and my goal is to help the team bring home victory.”
Tots has always strived to become a better version of herself. In her journey, she credits her teammates for willingly helping her level up her game, most especially when she just joined the team. Her more senior teammate Jia, for one, insisted on training together, and fellow Cool Smasher and opposite hitter Michele also taught her how to block, defend and strategize on the court.
“For me, grabe ’yung naging improvement ko dahil sa mga taong nakapaligid sa akin. Even the coaches, grabe ’yung naging tiyaga nila sa akin (My improvement was evident, thanks to the people around me. Even the coaches, they had a lot of patience with me),” Tots reflects.
Tots’ choice
Sacrifices and difficult choices naturally come with being an athlete. She’s no stranger to missing special occasions because she had to train or compete in a tournament. But just like in sports, there’s no hard feelings for Tots.
“I’m in my twenties and partying is still a thing for young people, but in my case, instead of going out I’d rather rest and sleep because I still have to train the next day,” Tots says. But she knows that this journey would require her to compromise some things.
“Being an athlete is a choice. You entered this life, so you should know the consequences — the pros and cons. It’s just a matter of how you will handle them,” she says.
During PVL seasons when it is most hectic, Tots reveals that she usually starts her day as early as 4:30 a.m. to train with her teammates from 6 to 9 a.m. Sometimes, they would even train forthree more hours in the afternoon.
“At the end of the day, I always ask myself, ‘why do I do this? Why am I here?’ And I always return to my purpose. That it’s because of my dream and it’s for the team. Whenever I feel lazy to train, I would think about the consequences that it would cause my team if I skip training,” the three-time MVP says.
Despite having found her place in the court, Tots admits that had things gone her way, she wouldn’t be smashing her way to success. “Gusto kong maging artista (I want to be an actor!)” Tots says with a chuckle.
With this revelation, she also shares that she was contacted by director Samantha Lee to appear in the Cinemalaya film Rookie, which is a queer film about volleyball. At the time of the interview, Tots recalls that she had auditioned for a role. While she was uncertain if she would make it, the film’s official trailer, which dropped early August showed a cameo of Tots and other Creamline players.
A true champion on and off the court, Tots pays it forward by teaching young volleyball players at Solid Seven Volleyball, an organization that offers volleyball training programs to aspiring athletes.
“We teach kids as young as nine years old at Solid Seven. We do grassroots volleyball training there. I really want to help train kids,” she says.
Art direction by Dexter Francis De Vera
Makeup by Owell Cinco for Estee Lauder
Hair by Rubi Macawili for Estee Lauder
Styling by Geo Palmiano and Mike de Guzman for MGP, assisted by Ysabelle Bianca Viray; Myrrh Lao To, Josh Galang and Mai Chua
Special thanks to Aster Talent Agency
