Valdez will be joined by six of her Creamline teammates in the national team.
Filipino volleyball superstar Alyssa Valdez was recently appointed team captain of the national contingent that will compete in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia. Receiving the honor while still recovering from a knee injury should be a hint that Valdez is going to be ready to get back on the court this May. That said, the decorated outside hitter didn’t give an exact timeline for her return.
Another interesting element in Valdez’s first tour of duty as national team captain is the inclusion of six players from the PVL All-Filipino back-to-back champions Creamline Cool Smashers to the Philippine women’s volleyball squad. Having her teammates from the PVL in the fold, the former Ateneo Blue Eagles standout is hoping to bring their vaunted team chemistry to the international stage.
“After every single year we won, [we gained] some familiarity also inside the court. Hopefully, we take this as an advantage for us going to the SEA Games,” the newly assigned skipper told reporters during a chance interview at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Cool Smashers who’ll be making the trip with Valdez to Phnom Penh are Jia De Guzman, Jema Galanza, Tots Carlos, Michele Gumabao, Ced Domingo, and Kyla Atienza. Obviously, the chemistry among these ladies who won multiple championships together are intact. That said, Alyssa still believes that proper execution is paramount when they finally play under national team coach Jorge Souza de Brito.
“We’re going to be under coach Jorge and coach Sherwin [Meneses] as well. So, we have to always listen to our head coach, coach Jorge pa rin, and really, hopefully, apply and implement all the systems na ipapagawa niya rin sa’min,” Valdez said.
As mentioned, Creamline tactician Sherwin Meneses will be a part of the national team’s coaching staff. It could be a huge factor for the ladies in pink as they try to take their seamless connection from the pros all the way to the regional meet. It certainly is possible, especially if it’s going to be a 100% healthy Alyssa Valdez leading the way.
(With reports from Rainier Mira, One Sports Digital)