FILIPINO heritage runs deep for Petro Gazz' newest ace Brooke Van Sickle as she continues to live the dream of playing volleyball in her mother's homeland.
After award-winning US NCAA stints in both beach and indoor volleyball with University of Oregon and University of Hawaii, where she won MVP, best scorer, and best outside spiker in her senior year, Van Sickle joined Petro Gazz through the help of ex-Premier Volleyball League (PVL) imports Kalei Mau and a former Angel in Lindsey Vander Weide.
READ: Van Sickle on Oregon connection with WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu
Now two months into her pro career in the Philippines, Van Sickle already has an MVP to her name in the 2024 PNVF Champions League prior to leading the Angels' ongoing PVL campaign with a three-game average of 16 points on 34.35% attacking efficiency.
The highly-touted Petro Gazz spiker took a trip down memory lane with SPIN.ph to reflect on what has been a brief yet surreal experience thus far and a family dream come true.
“It was my dream to play here and it’s just really cool to be able to see my family that’s still here. They came to the last game [versus Choco Mucho] and just to be able to get connected with my family and everything is just amazing,” said Van Sickle.
“My mom, she still lived here when she was younger. I can’t believe that this experience is happening. I’m so grateful to even be here. And just like how everything worked out, it’s an amazing opportunity.
Northern roots
Brooke’s mom, Lisa Bragado-Van Sickle, is a native of San Emilio, Ilocos Sur, whose mayor happens to be her uncle Joey Warren Bragado.
Lisa was also a college volleyball player in the US herself at Hawaii Pacific University. Similarly, Brooke's father Gary played for her alma mater in Hawaii from 1998 to 1990.
With two volleyball minds as parents, Van Sickle shared how they'd often be her toughest critics growing up but only has gratitude in her heart for shaping her to be the hard-hitting, all-around hotshot she's become today.
"My parents actually coached me growing up all the way to college, so they’re my coaches in like my entire career until I went to college. My mom played volleyball and my dad, too. So even though like after games, they’re very educated in the sport so sometimes it can be a little difficult to receive feedback when emotions are heightened."
"But at the end of the day, I’m super grateful for my mom for everything, for all the sacrifices she made for me is insane. I will not be here without her for sure," she added.
'Scrappy volleyball'
Van Sickle may be playing in the country for the first time, but she isn't short of knowledge and awareness on how 'scrappy' the level of play in Philippine volleyball can be and more.
Entering the PVL, the 24-year-old outside spiker carries the goal of absorbing all that she can and sharpening her volleyball IQ from 'really great athletes' in the league who embody such 'killer mentalities' on both ends of the floor.
"I already knew [the level of play in the Philippines] coming here. I expected the league’s good. I expected it to be really scrappy volleyball and it’s proving itself how I thought and even more. Everyone has that killer mentality. It’s not even just like on offense. I feel like there’s players that even have killer mentality with defense," said Van Sickle.
"Everyone has their own individual way of playing and their own personalities [and] it’s really cool to be able to play against these really great athletes and see what they can do. I just hope to continue to build my volley IQ and learn from these players and maybe like take little snippets and try to be the best player from watching them.
"Volleyball here is definitely good. It’s very good."
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