Creamline’s heart and soul, Alyssa Valdez, could not help but be emotional after what she had witnessed at the conclusion of the 2024 Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference on Thursday night.
Out for the past two conferences due to an undisclosed injury, Valdez watched from the sidelines as Creamline, who also missed stars Tots Carlos and Jema Galanza over the past months, made do with what they had left and fought on with resilience.
As a firsthand witness to the team’s challenges over the past several months, the three-time league MVP was moved to tears as the Cool Smashers hoisted the Invitational crown to complete the rare grand slam.
“It was a very emotional championship just because ang bilis ng mga pangyayari,” said Valdez following Creamline’s five-set win over Cignal in the Invitational Conference final.
“No one really thought na after a championship, tuloy-tuloy din agad talaga and then we’re gonna get another championship. Deserve talaga ng lahat ng girls ‘yung mga awards nila and the championship because they really worked hard,” she added.
After winning the season-opening All-Filipino Conference with an intact lineup, the Cool Smashers suffered a huge blow with Valdez and Carlos being sidelined by injuries.
Making things worse, they lost another star-caliber player in Galanza, who was called up by Alas Pilipinas for the national team window.
But despite their key losses, several Cool Smashers rose to the spotlight and took on the challenge of filling in for their stars.
Second-stringer Bernadeth Pons emerged as a two-way force, providing Creamline with the firepower needed to compete with the league’s best. Meanwhile, veteran opposite hitter Michele Gumabao regained her old, deadly form and consistently filled the gap in the offense.
Setter Kyle Negrito, often criticized by fans for her occasional lapses, provided steady playmaking for the squad. With American import Erica Staunton backing them up, the Cool Smashers seemed to never miss a beat and maintained their status as the top team in the country.
For Valdez—and all the other Cool Smashers who had the opportunity to share their story inside the press room the entire tournament—it’s all because of the system implemented by head coach Sherwin Meneses and the guidance of their management.
“It’s really the system of coach Sherwin, the team, the players, everyone in the Cool Smashers,” said Valdez, who was always on the bench providing her team guidance and support.
“They really respect the system, each and everyone, from the management down to the utility and everyone, ‘yun din talaga ‘yung nag-wowork. It’s really the culture in our team that’s why kahit sino talagang magse-step up.”
