THE high-profile transfers of former Choco Mucho aces Bea de Leon and Denden Lazaro-Revilla to sister team Creamline headlined what was a busy offseason rigodon ahead of the 2024 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) season.
A lot has been said about such player movements within sister teams, which the PVL has now restricted moving forward, but the newest pair of Cool Smashers remains at ease with how the past few months panned out in their new team.
The shift from purple to pink might have been far from easy, but de Leon and Lazaro-Revilla felt how such a leap of faith proved to be worth the risk.
READ: Creamline turns highly awaited match vs Choco Mucho into a three-set rout
And as the old saying goes, home is where the heart is.
“(Creamline) does really feel like home. Pagtapak na pagtapak namin sa training, parang pina-feel nila na welcome ako sa team. I thank the coaches, my teammates, and the management. They made it feel like I'm part of Creamline even though I was from Choco Mucho,” said Lazaro-Revilla.
“I know the optics (of our transfer) wasn’t really good. But yeah, one big happy family. Super grateful.”
De Leon, who was with the Flying Titans since the club’s inception in 2019, shared how she’s at ease with where she is now and has nothing but gratitude for the team that ‘gave her another chance to rediscover herself.’
“Sobrang at peace ako sa kung nasaan ako ngayon. Not a day goes by na hindi ako thankful sa mga kasama ko at sa mga coaches ko na binigyan ako ng isa pang chance na mahanap ko ulit ‘yung sarili ko,” de Leon said.
“Isa pong karangalan po talaga na nandito kami ngayon. I’m just so thankful to all of them — to ate Ly (Valdez), to Coach Sherwin (Meneses) na nagtiwala rin sa akin.
“So yeah, my heart is at peace.”
The other side of the rivalry
Creamline’s three-set rout of Choco Mucho marked the defending champions’ 12th victory in as many matches against their sister team since 2019.
After five years, de Leon and Lazaro-Revilla found themselves on the winning side of the sibling rivalry. Despite now representing different teams, the fierce competition between the sister duos remains intense on the court, while off the court, it's all about love and support.
“In a way, it feels weird, kasi it's kind of fresh (our transfer from Choco Mucho to Creamline). Ilang months pa lang kami with Creamline but ‘yun nga, when we're inside the court, it's all business. Outside, we're happy for one another,” said Lazaro-Revilla.
Creamline captain Valdez added: “(Choco Mucho) has been playing the best conference and season yet. So, aside from the boost sa morale rin namin getting that win against Choco Mucho, I think it’s more of really trying to find our way back most especially na nagsa-struggle kami during the first part of this conference.
“So malaking tulong ‘tong game namin sa Choco Mucho para ma-settle down kami nang konti and to really bring back the fire and the hunger to win and to play better.”
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.
