Valdez eyes return to national team

Volleyball superstar Alyssa Valdez made it clear where she stands when it comes to donning the country’s colors once more as part of Alas Pilipinas.

“If given a chance, I would love to serve our country again,” Valdez said in an interview on Sunday during a youth volleyball training camp at Gatorade Hoops Center in Mandaluyong.

Since her last appearance for the women’s national team as captain of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games women’s volleyball squad in Cambodia, Valdez has seen the rise of other notable stars playing from the country.

Among them is La Salle star Angel Canino, who Valdez hopes to see shine even brighter on the international stage.

“She’s been really doing well for the national team with the help of her seniors as well, with Jia Morado and Dawn Macandili-Catindig,” the decorated 31-year-old veteran said, adding that she hopes that the national team members will continue to bring pride to the Philippines in future leagues. “One thing I have to commend is that we can really feel the love and the passion of this young generation in terms of representing our country,” Valdez said.

Once dubbed “the face of Philippine volleyball,” Valdez said that passion would do well in repaying the fans’ faith in the players and their support of the sport.

“I’ve said before that we’re a volleyball nation. I would also say that I think one of the best supporters [in the world] would be Filipinos,” Valdez said, adding that the club teams and national squads that get to play abroad experience the same warm embrace give to Gilas Pilipinas when the well-loved national basketball team competes on foreign shores.

“When we play in other countries or representing [the Philippines] in different countries … we also get that solid support from every Filipino.”

And that support will be even bigger once Valdez returns to the national squad.