Brooke Van Sickle relished her first PVL championship with Petro Gazz as she continued to emphasize her gratitude to the team for embracing her starting with her arrival in 2023.
Brooke Van Sickle’s long wait for a championship is finally over.
The Fil-Hawaiian outside hitter capped the longest PVL conference ever by helping Petro Gazz clinch its first-ever All-Filipino title, as the Angels dethroned the Creamline Cool Smashers in a thrilling four-set win, 25-21, 25-16, 23-25, 25-19, before a roaring crowd of 10,226 at the PhilSports Arena for Game 3 of the Finals.
Van Sickle shone on the biggest stage, delivering 21 points on top of 18 excellent receptions and nine digs to power Petro Gazz to its historic championship run.
But for the now two-time PVL All-Filipino MVP, this moment wasn’t just about her numbers or individual accolades—-it was about a team that stuck together and believed in each other when it mattered most.
“The past is the past. Everyone on the team agrees on that,” Van Sickle said during the championship press conference. “I’m not the missing piece, it’s everyone. We’re all part of the puzzle. Everything just clicked at the right moments.”
Van Sickle praised the culture within Petro Gazz, citing the bond built between players, the leadership of Remy Palma, and the support from coaches and management as key factors in their success.
“My team accepted me. They brought me in with loving arms. They made me feel so welcomed, comforted, and loved,” said Van Sickle.
“It took time, but now look what we were able to do. We kept believing, and we kept pushing ourselves. With that, we were able to reach our goals. So, it was an amazing team effort, team energy, everything put into it, sweat and tears,” she added.
[ALSO READ: Brooke Van Sickle prioritizes team success over individual accolades with Petro Gazz in PVL]
Saturday’s win also marked a milestone for the franchise, which had long been chasing an elusive All-Filipino title. For Van Sickle, who joined Petro Gazz in 2023 and has fully embraced her Filipino identity, the moment was surreal.
“It's just awesome. You know, it was our time. And I'm really, again, proud to be part of this team and to be able to know everyone. It was, again, a whole team effort,” she said.
[ALSO READ: Imports? Brooke Van Sickle, MJ Phillips emphasize local roots as Petro Gazz nabs PVL All-Filipino title]
And now that the dream has been realized, Van Sickle’s only wish?
“I feel like I’m still dreaming and I don't want to be pinched. To be able to make history like this—it’s insane.”