Brooke Van Sickle, the top scorer in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) and a Fil-American sensation for Petro Gazz, found it extremely touching that 24 members of her extended family traveled 375 kilometers over eight hours to watch her play live.
LOOK:
Hailing from San Emilio, Ilocos Sur, the Bragado family paid a visit to Brooke and her Filipina mom Lisa and American dad Gary in Manila.
The extended Bragado-Van Sickle family witnessed Brooke and the Angels run past cellar-dwelling Capital1 in straight sets at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City just before the Holy Week break.
READ: Brooke van Sickle puts on a show as proud parents watch
Fresh from the United States, Brooke's parents had the chance to watch their daughter play live a few days earlier at the Big Dome just before the ace spiker's 26th birthday — albeit in a crushing five-set loss to Chery Tiggo.
Not only was she taken aback by the number of relatives she had back in their home province, but Van Sickle was mostly in awe of the efforts from her Ilocos Sur-based family to spend time with her and finally see her in action.
"I'm so grateful. Actually, I had dinner with them (Bragado family) and I didn't realize that my family's very big. It's like a whole clan and it was so cool that they actually drove down from San Emilio (in Ilocos Sur). I think I said they said it was an eight-hour (trip).
"Just to have a family that's willing to do that and even though I haven't some of them, and for them to make that journey and come out to see me play here and my mom is just unreal and I couldn't be more grateful with the family that I was given and I'm just so happy to be able to finally connect with them and it's just so much love, and I'm so happy.
Pride and love
Lisa and Gary Van Sickle both carry college volleyball pedigree and paved the path for Brooke to grow and fall in love with the sport.
And to see their beloved daughter spread her wings with the Angels and reach new heights in playing pro volleyball in the Philippines, of all places, has been the treat of a lifetime for the proud parents.
"It's been so much fun watching her blossom into the player that she is today. I think what impresses me the most about her is her fearlessness. She doesn't get very rattled, and she knows how to get the job done. I call her 'the closer' because she knows how to close the game, I feel. She's always been that way," said Lisa.
Gary added: "She's come a long way. We coached her, she started at 8 years old, and she was a little girl. Seeing her now, it's been a good journey for her, and I think she's ready for, you know, this moment, playing here. [We're] happy to be here."
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