Maddie Madayag and Bea De Leon will be competitors for the first time in several years after the latter decided to move to Creamline for the upcoming 2024 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.
Madayag, who joined Choco Mucho in 2019 alongside De Leon after their time with Ateneo, expressed her excitement about facing her long-time teammate for the first time on the PVL court.
“Sabi ko nga before na sobrang iba ang feeling kasi all this time, all this years, kami ang magkakasama sa isang court. So it’s gonna be different playing against her,” said Madayag, who is set to assume captaincy for the Flying Titans with De Leon’s departure.
“But I’m very excited to play against her kasi iba na ang sistema na nilalaruan niya under Coach Sherwin (Meneses). Iba rin ang kultura nila as a team so we will see kung ma-adapt ba niya yung good vibes nila. We’re very excited to play against her,” she added.
With her close friend and one of the team’s leaders gone, Madayag shared that her personal goal for this conference is to be a good role model for the team.
She also wants to help the Flying Titans achieve the elusive championship.
“Right now ang goal ko is to be a good leader for the team kasi it’s the role for me ngayon. Di ko muna iniisip yung performance ko basta ma-lead ko lang ng maayos ang team para umabot kami sa goal namin,” said the 26-year-old middle blocker from Davao.
Choco Mucho didn’t just lose De Leon during the off-season; veteran libero Denden Lazaro-Revilla chose to join the Cool Smashers, and opposite spiker Caitlyn Viray transferred to Farm Fresh.
(C) Joaqui Flores/PVL Images
However, the Flying Titans managed to compensate for their losses by signing Mars Alba, Bia General, Mean Mendrez, and Royse Tubino.
Madayag revealed that the newcomers are adapting well to head coach Dante Alinsunurin’s system, with the remaining players assisting them in getting accustomed to the schemes.
“So far naga-adapt pa yung mga bago sa sistema knowing na bago pa lang sila. So tinataasan talaga naming ang pasensya para sa isa’t isa para mas makuha nila ang system ni Coach Dante,” said Madayag.
“Kasi kami last year it took us a conference or more para magamay talaga namin ang system ni Coach Dante, pinagdaanan naman namin yung pinagdadaanan nila ngayon so naiintindihan naman namin. Pero so far kapag nagti-training naman kami nakikinig naman sila sa mga gustong mga mangyari ng coaches. So far, OK naman ang ipinapakita nila sa training.”
