It’s Captain Jia Morado-De Guzman, for now.
A lot of the leadership role will fall under Morado-De Guzman as Alyssa Valdez recovers from her knee injury, but she won't be alone.
Speaking to One Sports, Creamline’s co-captain said that other players in team have the experience to become leaders of the team, too.
"Everyone kasi in the team is a leader in their own right, so even though designated captain ako, maraming players sa loob ng court that are captains from their previous teams, so I have no problems managing everyone because we treat each other equally,” she said.
The Ateneo Lady Eagles alum and Season 79 captain said team members stepping up has been a core part of the Cool Smashers' culture ever since.
“So, even with Ate Ly inside the court, she treats us as equals. That's part of our culture and our system, and it makes it easier for us to communicate better and everyone knows when to listen talaga.”
This won’t be the first time Morado-De Guzman will lead the Cool Smashers. During the 2022 AVC Cup for Women, Morado led the Creamline-bannered Philippine team without Valdez, who was recovering from dengue back then. The Philippines finished 6th during the tournament.