Creamline head coach Sherwin Meneses and team captain Alyssa Valdez have expressed their full support for Ced Domingo and her upcoming overseas stint.
It was announced last Wednesday that Domingo, who missed the team’s opening match against Choco Mucho, has gained clearance from the Cool Smashers’ management to sign with an international team.
The 24-year-old middle blocker later revealed that she is set to join Nakhon Ratchasima in Thailand.
Domingo is not the only Creamline star who has tried her luck abroad, as ace setter Jia De Guzman flew to Japan before the Premier Volleyball League Second All-Filipino Conference after signing with the Denso Airybees.
“Just like kay Jia [De Guzman] very supportive kami sa mga players namin. Siyempre opportunity makalaro sa ibang bansa so hindi namin sila pipigilan,” said Meneses shortly after Creamline’s straight sets win over Cignal in Batangas, which Domingo attended.
As for Valdez, she believes that this is the right time for both De Guzman and Domingo, who are both still in their prime, to make their mark overseas.
De Guzman, without a doubt the top playmaker that the Philippines has ever produced, is coming off another stellar conference in the Invitationals where she led Creamline to a silver finish.
It was also in the same conference where Domingo won the Second Best Middle Blocker award.
“Well, honestly we’re very happy for her. I mean, it’s not very often we get those kinds of opportunities din and we’re just here to support them reach their dreams and I think in our team naman, we want everyone to grow and really find also yung growth na gusto nila as an athlete as well,” said Valdez.
“So I guess this is the right time for them to go out, Jia and Ceddy, and we’re very, very happy for them and we’re really looking forward to watching them live and we can’t wait to see them back here in the Philippines as well.”
Jeanette Panaga and Risa Sato, who started in the Cool Smashers’ first two games of the conference, are expected to fill the void left by Domingo.
“Sa team naman namin, sistema, hindi naman individual. So, just practice and study the system, and you’ll get it,” said Meneses.
