ALYSSA Valdez closed out 2024 with her best game yet for Creamline since a four-month injury layoff.
Moving forward, the ever-humble 'Phenom' has a simple wish for once-injured athletes like her.
READ: Mighty Creamline shows vulnerabilities in rare off night
If her 17-point night in two sets played in their year-ending triumph over ZUS Coffee was any indication of what's to come, she’s well on her way back to her vintage form in the PVL - as she’s always envisioned at 31 years old.
“I'm praying and hoping and working hard for that to happen. I'm really here to hopefully be back 100 percent to help the team,” Valdez shared with SPIN.ph.
"That's my wish this Christmas. Not just for myself, (but also) for all the athletes (who) have been like me."
Valdez' lessons about life
May it be on or off the volleyball taraflex, one resounding lesson has stuck more than anything with the ‘Phenom’ this year: resilience.
“This year has been a learning curve and it taught me na it’s not over until it's over,” the Creamline skipper said.
“Sa lahat ng mga games namin, pinu-prove talaga ni Lord na hanggang hindi tapos ang laban, ‘wag kayong susuko. Never give up talaga.”
Tiring as the daily grind may be, either during her rehabilitation and now that she's hit the ground running again for the Cool Smashers, Valdez puts a premium on taking time to step away from the limelight and just breathe.
“You can apply that on and off the court kasi. One thing we've learned also is that kailangan, may work-life balance talaga. Our management has been very generous din for giving us mga trips," she said.
As Valdez puts it, “Talagang naba-balance na may saya at mas nagkakakilala kami on and off the court.”
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