Jia de Guzman will lead the newly-formed Alas Pilipinas to glory in the upcoming 2024 AVC Challenge Cup.
In what will be her first game back in the Philippines, Jia de Guzman will not be playing alongside her longtime teammates, Alyssa Valdez and the rest of the Creamline Cool Smashers.
De Guzman will instead spearhead the charge for the newly-formed Alas Pilipinas for the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup, which is set to begin on Wednesday, May 22, at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.
Valdez and de Guzman have gone through a lot, whether it be during their college days at Ateneo de Manila University, their championship runs in Creamline, or their call-ups for the national team.
Valdez, who usually captains the national team, was no longer called upon for the upcoming international tournament—and who better to replace her than de Guzman herself?
[ALSO READ: Jia De Guzman to serve as Alas Pilipinas captain]
As she enters her first tournament as team captain of Alas Pilipinas, de Guzman is taking note of the advice given by Valdez since their days with the Blue Eagles.
“Ever since naman magkasama kami ni ate Ly in Ateneo the first year together, it's always the same every year. Just do your best, enjoy the game, and allow others to shine as well. Parang, what better way to inspire the next generation than to be in the best condition to play yourself,” de Guzman told reporters after Alas Pilipinas’ team presentation on Monday, May 20.
Having just finished her first season in Japan with the Denso Airybess, de Guzman admitted to missing her special connection with Valdez and other Creamline spikers.
“Even before being called to the national team, 'yung time ko in Japan na hindi ko kasama si ate Ly and even the other players that I'm so used to playing with for a long time, 'yun 'yung isang namimiss ko rin. 'Yung ganung mag-tinginan lang kami, alam na namin kung ano 'yung iniisip nung isa,” said de Guzman.
[ALSO READ: Amid Jaja Santiago's ongoing naturalization, Jia de Guzman gets real on possibly playing for Japan as well]
But as she forms that connection with the young and talented spikers on the national team, de Guzman is getting help from other veterans like Dawn Macandili-Catindig, Eya Laure, Cherry Nunag, and Dell Palomata.
“Right now, 'yun naman ang tinatry naming i-form na connection with this team and so far even the seniors, sila Dawn, si Eya, si Cherry, and Dell, ang galing din nila magdala ng mga bata,” De Guzman pointed out.
Alas Pilipinas' preliminaries in the AVC Challenge Cup for Women starts on May 23. The games will air on One Sports, One Sports+, and the Pilipinas Live app.