Creamline fell short of their goals in the 2022 Reinforced Conference, but they're ready to take flight again.
Jema Galanza admitted Creamline falling short of a grand slam in the Premier Volleyball League last year was a hard pill to swallow.
Although they finished atop the heap after the elimination round, the tiebreak system didn’t work in the Cool Smashers’ favor as they consequently got the boot in the semifinals.
But that’s all in the past now.
“Masakit naman din talaga kasi 'di lang basta championship makukuha namin last year sa Reinforced Conference, pero grand slam talaga. Pero ganun talaga, bilog ang bola. Nag-iisip ang kalaban, nagte-train ang kalaban,” Galanza told One Sports.
Galanza said the respite given to them last December did wonders in the whole process.
“Noong December 2022, talagang binigay samin ng coaches 'yung pahinga, 'yung rest mentally and physically. So ngayong 2023, kailangan iwan na lahat 'yan sa 2022 and ilaban namin uli,” she said.
Right now the Cool Smashers are bent on winning it all in the All-Filipino Conference, which begins in February. Even if that means doing it without Alyssa Valdez, who is still nursing a knee injury she suffered last month.
There’s no timetable yet for her return.
While there was no issue with chemistry for the Cool Smashers, who have been together for many years now, Galanza said there is a concern with regard to being too comfortable with each other.
“Wala na ako masabi sa chemistry dahil five years na kaming magkakasama. Masasabi ko lang sa sobrang komportable siguro sa isa’t isa, nawawala 'yung pagkakaisa namin sa isa’t isa,” she said.
“'Yun 'yung pina-practice namin sa training. Dahil nga syempre 'di pa namin sure kung makakalaro si Ate Ly. So leadership ng bawat isa importante.”
Stand-in captain Jia Morado-De Guzman has seen that culture of leadership and accountability before, and she expects to see more of it. Galanza is on the same page.
“Expectation ko talagang mag-step up lahat. Itong volleyball naman is a team sport, so kung sinong kaya mag-contribute sa game na ito, magko-contribute. No pressure sa lahat basta maglalaro lang," she said.