Van Sickles win title together; pressure’s on
Moments after leading Petro Gazz to a PVL-best third Reinforced Conference title, Brooke Van Sickle hugged her parents, Gary and Lisa—now the Angels’ head coach and deputy—and recreated a familiar championship photo, this time at the pro level.
Gary, who last coached Brooke in high school, said he was reminded of a picture taken when she won a title at 16. It was a full-circle “then and now” moment for the first family to win a PVL championship together, proving the rookie American coaches could steer Petro Gazz back to glory after ending ZUS Coffee’s dream run with a 21-25, 28-26, 25-23, 25-20 win in Sunday’s winner-take-all final at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“It’s just fun being here,” Gary said. “We’re always watching her on TV … sometimes up two, three in the morning. We felt a connection with this team. When the opportunity came, we didn’t hesitate.”
Some doubted Petro Gazz’s decision to hire Brooke’s parents, but the strength and steadiness of the Van Sickle family guided the Angels out of a rocky start. With their backs against the wall, they rattled off five straight wins, beating two-time champion PLDT for fifth, dethroning Creamline in the quarters and outlasting No. 8 Akari in a five-set thriller to return to the Reinforced finals after three years.
“What a family affair—it’s been a nice ride,” Lisa said. “We were like the Cinderella team. We came here with barely a week to prepare, but it’s been amazing.”
It was a fitting moment for three-time Conference MVP Brooke Van Sickle, who tied Creamline stars Tots Carlos and Alyssa Valdez as the PVL’s most decorated players. She claimed her second Petro Gazz championship with her parents calling the shots and Oregon teammate Lindsey Vander Weide—who recommended her to join the PVL last year—back for another title run.
“I’m grateful management took a risk,” Brooke said. “Having my parents here and Lindsey back makes this one special. Being away from home is hard. Having family around means a lot.”
Familiarity, chemistry
Beyond the family narrative, Petro Gazz’s title reaffirmed the franchise’s winning tradition, with all four championships coming from different coaches: Arnold Laniog in 2019, Rald Ricafort in 2022, Japanese coach Koji Tsuzurabara in last May’s All-Filipino and now the Van Sickles.
Gary and Lisa said coaching veterans like MJ Phillips, Myla Pablo, Jonah Sabete, Ranya Musa, Bang Pineda, Chie Saet, Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, Djanel Cheng and Jellie Tempiatura made the transition easier, with rookie Jules Tolentino also fitting in seamlessly.
“All these girls are so talented,” Lisa said. “Tell them once and they get it. They’re easy to coach.”
Gary added that familiarity and chemistry—especially with Vander Weide reuniting with former teammates—made the process smoother. “We just needed to get the team to play together. Call timeouts, make subs and let them do the rest.”
Now champions in their PVL debut, the Van Sickles know tougher tests await as Petro Gazz defends its All-Filipino crown next year. But they believe the bond that carried them this far will continue to hold.
“Now there’s pressure,” Lisa said. “But we’ve got the players. We’ll try our best.”
