Alyssa Valdez
There may not be a barrage of points, and her minutes on the court are fewer than before.
But the important thing is that Alyssa Valdez, long-time front and center of Creamline’s successful franchise, is back in the fold and doing more than what’s required.
The 31-year-old Valdez recently spoke with Spin.ph, where she shared her struggles to get back in shape following her injuries. She admitted that she had been “rushing things,” cutting corners on her way to recovery, which only made the process longer.
“I’ve been very hard on myself, thinking that I had to get back up again 100 percent,” she was quoted as saying.
Since then, Valdez, easily the biggest star in Philippine volleyball, has learned her lessons. Now, she’s taking it slow and steady.
And the Cool Smashers are liking everything about it.
Valdez, who was in and out of the sick bay in 2022 and 2023, is now averaging 7.4 points per game as Creamline remains undefeated with a 5-0 record in the Premier Volleyball League All Filipino Conference.
“Volleyball has been my outlet, and I want to get back all the time. This is my source of happiness, that’s why I’ve been really pushing myself,” she told the sports portal.
It may not be the Valdez of the 2010s, and there may be no going back there, but what Valdez is bringing to the table now is experience, maturity, and leadership.
And at this point, that’s all the Cool Smashers need from her.
