Brooke Van Sickle is glad to be back on the court after enduring a bittersweet recovery that saw Nxled make history by reaching the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference finals without her.
Van Sickle returned to the Chameleons’ lineup after missing the PVL On Tour and Invitational Conference due to a minor tear in her right shoulder.
It was a challenging couple of months for the 28-year-old outside hitter, especially as she watched from the sidelines while Nxled made its historic run in the Invitational Conference. The team eventually settled for silver after falling to Thai side Est Cola in the championship round.
While proud of her teammates’ achievement, Van Sickle admitted that being unable to join them on the court made the experience difficult.
“So, the process was bittersweet. They made it, you know, they supported me every step, so it was easy that way. But then, you know, (it was hard) missing the game and having to watch from afar,” Van Sickle said.
“I mean, no athlete likes to be injured, right? During that time, it was really tough at moments, but I had the support of my coaching staff, our teammates, too, and management and ownership. They supported me every step, so it was easy that way,” she added.
(C) PVL Images
Despite being sidelined, Van Sickle remained proud of how the Chameleons rose to the occasion. She credited head coach Ettore Guidetti for building team chemistry and bringing out the best in everyone during their Invitational campaign.
“It’s really cool that we’re able to podium, get second. That was first in Nxled history,” she said. “The girls fought and grinded really well, and Coach Ettore did a really good job, able to get everybody flowing and playing really well with each other and good chemistry.”
Back to full fitness, Van Sickle immediately made her presence felt in Nxled’s 25-16, 25-20, 25-18 victory over PLDT in its opening game of the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference Siklab series at the SMART Araneta Coliseum on Tuesday night.
The former Season MVP finished with a game-high 11 points on 10 attacks and one block. She also had eight excellent digs in the 80-minute victory.
With her return bolstering the Chameleons’ lineup, Van Sickle hopes the team can sustain its momentum throughout the ongoing conference, particularly with its depth allowing different players to step up when called upon.
“It’s really good to be back. So, I thought it’s just going really well, and I hope to continue to see this improvement as the conference goes on. So, I think no matter, like, who’s the starting six, everyone’s producing really well — so, yeah, I’m really proud of everyone,” she said.
Her return also gives Van Sickle the opportunity to finally play alongside setter Gel Cayuna, a partnership she had long looked forward to since arriving in the Philippines.
“Since I got here in the Philippines, I’ve always wanted to play with Jackie and Gel, or both of them. But, yeah, I’ve always, you know, thought Gel was one of the best setters in the country, and I really wanted to play with her,” she said.
“So, it worked well for me.”
