PLAYING in front of her countrymen anew will be a special moment for volleyball star Alyssa Valdez, who leads the Creamline Cool Smashers representing the Philippines in the 2025 AVC Champions League.
The Cool Smashers were named by the Premier Volleyball League, along with the Petro Gazz Angels, to fly the flag in the 12-cast Asian club-based meet set on April 20 to 27 at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.
This will be a comeback of sorts for Valdez, who last played before the Filipino crowd in her national team stint in the country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games back in 2019.
“The last time I played for the national team in front of our home crowd was back in the 2019 SEA Games. So, it’s very exciting, it’s just so nice na kahit papano kasama natin ang ating mga kababayan na lumaban representing our country so exciting times for Philippine volleyball,” Valdez said.
“We are also looking forward to more international tournaments, especially the Men’s World Championship, so it’s an exciting time for Philippine volleyball.”
In August 2022, when Creamline represented the Philippines in the AVC Cup for Women, Valdez was sidelined as she battled dengue.
“Ngayon binigyan ulit ako ng chance [to represent the country] so I take it as a big opportunity to showcase again kung ano iyong mga things na natutunan ko sa mga previous experiences ko sa national team. So, yeah, very blessed to be given this opportunity and I hope na maging maayos and maganda iyong mapakita namin for the Philippines,” she said.
The 31-year-old outside spiker, while expressing her excitement on facing the other top-caliber Asian club champion teams, reiterated that Creamline remains laser-focused on their five-peat goal in the PVL All-Filipino tourney.
“We look forward to playing the champion teams in different Asian countries. We’re very excited, but I guess we can’t also veer away from the fact that we have to focus sa campaign namin dito sa All-Filipino conference,” she said.
The draw for the AVC Champions League is set for March 12 in Bangkok, Thailand.
