THE sense of pride and honor suiting up for flag and country never wanes for Philippine national women’s volleyball team mainstay Alyssa Valdez.
“I think I always say this, but it’s really one of my dreams, all the time, as an athlete, to represent our country,” Valdez said recently on Radyo5 92.3 News FM’s Power and Play program hosted by former PBA Commissioner Noli Eala.
“Every time napipili, grabe ang honor and pride na makasama sa pool,” she added.
The 5-foot-9 Valdez is also excited to be mentored for the first time by Brazilian consultant Edson Souza de Brito and to possibly play with good pal Jaja Santiago anew in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam.
“He (Souza de Brito) called me once and he was asking for my condition, mentally and physically. I think, as a coach, iba iyong matututunan ko sa kanya. As for Brazil, I’m not sure if lahat kami kasama,” Valdez said.
“I haven’t been with Jaja (in a long while), I’m very excited to play with her. It would be nice to play with Jaja.”
The Philippine National Volleyball Federation intends to send the Filipina spikers to Brazil to toughen up for the biennial meet where they will seek to surpass their fourth-place finish in the 2019 Games in Manila.
