Family goes beyond blood.
For the star rookies of the NU Lady Bulldogs and the UST Golden Tigresses, joining the Chery Tiggo Crossovers feels like a family reunion.
Well, literally in the case of sisters EJ and Eya Laure.
But it actually goes beyond blood for the former UST kapitana, Imee Hernandez, Joyme Cagande, Princess Robles, and Jen Nierva.
"Mafi-feel mo na rin 'yung pagiging pamilya. Babalik lang din kung saan ka nanggaling," Laure told One Sports' The Game on Thursday night.
For Laure, this is quite a literal homecoming.
She's played for Chery Tiggo before in the Philippine Super Liga. So, she's pretty familiar with the Crossovers. Plus, it's quite a sight to train with her sister EJ.
There's a lot of yellow ties in Chery Tiggo aside from the Laures. Alina Bicar is a welcome sight for the rookies, along with Yani Fernandez—an assistant coach for both the Crossovers and the Golden Tigresses. So, for middle blocker Imee Hernandez, it's like seeing old friends and a familiar system for the players.
There's also plenty of Lady Bulldogs to welcome the champions of Season 84, such as Jasmine Nabor, Bingle Landicho, and France Ronquillo.
But for Robles, Nierva, and Cagande, the connection really starts at the NU-Nazareth School with then-assistant coach Aaron Velez, who is now the chief tactician for Chery Tiggo.
"Siya na rin nag-train sa amin, kasama na rin sa championship before," Cagande said.
"'Di rin iba yung coaching staff since kilala na rin namin sila," Robles added. "'Di rin iba sa akin since college, family na 'yung turingan namin."
And while the star rookies have been playing against each other since high school, Hernandez says they've always been chill off the court.
"Friends kami outside," she shared. "Hindi mahirap 'yung first time na magkita kami sa Chery sa training. 'Uy, nandito ka na.'"
They've also been welcomed by their ates in Chery Tiggo such as 2022 PVL Reinforced Conference MVP Mylene Paat and last conference's transferee Pauline Gaston.
"As a setter, lahat sila nagfi-feed back. It helps a lot," Cagande shared. "Mas nagiging komportable ako mag-perform."
Laure said that she also welcomed the intensity and hard work in training.
"Hindi naman super bago since pinag-aralan na namin yung system dati pa. Pero very excited kasi everyone is willing to contribute sa training palang," she added.
Their aim, to gain another PVL title--this time perhaps at the Invitational Conference.
"One step at a time. Isa-isa lang, hindi mamadaliin," Laure said. "Trust the process."