ANTIPOLO CITY — For volleyball icon Alyssa Valdez, being away from the court felt like torture as she watched her teammates battle hard and witnessed how they made history by being the first team to score a grand slam in the PVL.
The 'Phenom' was in rehab that lasted four months because of a knee injury and during that time she had thoughts of despair as she became a mere onlooker while volleyball history was being made.
READ: Valdez' mere on-court presence a big boost to Creamline's title defense
But deep down, she knew she will be back. Indeed, she was back, though nothing like her old self, as she made her volleyball return on Saturday against Petro Gazz which her Creamline team, of which she is the captain, demolished, 25-19, 25-22, 25-16.
It was a forceful performance for Creamline, which is seeking its fifth straight PVL championship. More important, however, it saw the return of Valdez, who had been patiently getting treatment from her injury.
For Valdez, days on the sidelines had been a mixed bag of emotions. Days of optimism and hope were sometimes followed by moments of gloom and doubt.
But she never lost hope that the day will come that she will be back in action.
“To be honest, it wasn’t easy. It’s hot and cold. May mga days na okay, may mga days na hindi talaga. It’s part of the process talaga dahil mas du’n tumitibay ‘yung loob, yung katawan ko,” said Valdez.
“D’un ko talaga na-reinvent ‘yung sarili ko kaya I saw volleyball in a different perspective. That’s why I’m glad to be back, and I’m just glad to join the team again.”
Jump for joy
To be back in the sport she's always loved meant everything for Valdez.
In fact, it wasn't even her four-point scoring output or limited minutes that defined the skippers' first game back a few days ago.
Being back in the game and doing things like tossing. smashing, serving and setting up her teammates feel almost therapeutic. All the doubts, sadness and dissapointment seemed to have vanished after months of rehab.
"It’s just so nice to be able to feel that I am able to jump again, to spike again, to help again. If you’re going to ask me how far I think I am right now, I just wanna celebrate what I have right now, on the present. I want to stay in the present."
"That’s one thing that I’ve learned also, to celebrate small wins, stay in the present, and just be glad and grateful on everything that is happening right now. I take it one day at a time.
"Hopefully, mas ma-enjoy ko pa at mas makatulong sa team at sana makabalik ako sa 100 percent."
The fuel to the Phenom’s fire
Her biggest motivation in her Creamline comeback goes beyond just winning games and championships like they’ve always done for the last seven years.
Valdez simply wants to enjoy the sport and rediscover her love and passion for the game.
“Ang motivation ko talaga would be to enjoy volleyball again. One of the things na we’ve been doing talaga is we’ve been training hard.
As the Phenom puts it, “At the end of the day, we’re enjoying it more than ever. Mas iba ‘yung mabibigay na saya, and ‘yung mga panalo, and ‘yung inspirasyon sa’min.
“Hopefully, mabigyan pa rin namin ng justice ‘yung winning system [ng Creamline] and one game at a time pa rin.”
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
