Premier Volleyball League star Alyssa Valdez. Photo from PVL Media Bureau/file

MANILA – It’s from the face of Philippine volleyball herself.

Premier Volleyball League (PVL) star Alyssa Valdez believes that given the meteoric rise of the sport, the Philippines can now be considered a “volleyball country.”

“I think, I’m gonna say it but I think we are really one of the… Right now, we’re a volleyball country, we’re a volleyball nation,” Valdez told reporters Sunday after the country’s successful hosting of the Manila leg of the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

“And napakasayang makita na punung-puno ‘yung arena. It’s so nice na they’re all cheering for both USA and Japan in today’s game, so napakagandang scenario, sitwasyon din dito sa loob ng MOA Arena,” the Creamline captain went on.

The last day of the Philippine-hosted VNL Week 3 saw a packed and sold-out MOA Arena with 12,424 fans witnessing international volleyball action.

Recent viewership of volleyball also drew more than 40,000 fans in a day on May 5 as Filipinos watched PVL, UAAP, and Spikers’ Turf simultaneously—a testament to the rise of the sport.

In the recent PVL finals, where the Creamline Cool Smashers eventually emerged as queens of the 2024 All-Filipino Conference, saw a massive 23,162 crowd count in Game 2 at the Araneta Coliseum, while also drawing 17,457 fans at the same Cubao venue in the championship-opener on a weekday.

Valdez, undoubtedly still the face of volleyball in the country, took time to engage with ecstatic fans excited to see her at the Pasay arena.

She posed for selfies and signed some memorabilia to the delight of the Pinoy spectators.

But before that, she also interacted with several international players like USA team captain Micah Christenson, and Japanese stars Yuki Ishikawa and Kento Miyaura.

Valdez also hopes that this would translate into viewership of local men’s league Spikers’ Turf.

“Sana mag-start din ‘to na mas panoorin ‘yung Spikers’ Turf and buong volleyball games, and support natin as we support the other teams here in the VNL,” the eight-time PVL champion said.

Meanwhile, USA’s Taylor Averill also lauded the local support for volleyball, and even said, “I don’t want to leave.”

“So excited to come back here. I’ve had way too much fun here. The volleyball community here is like nothing I’ve ever experienced. I’m just so grateful,” he said.

Averill also shared his thoughts about the Team Philippines jacket he received from the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF).

“I believe the president of the volleyball community in the Philippines, yeah the Federation gave this to me. I’m so honored. This is the coolest jacket. Such a cool token to have of appreciation and dude, I’m blessed to wear it. I’m blessed again for the fans that came out,” the middle blocker said.

“In the States we don’t get this kind of love for what we do so it means a lot to me. I don’t take it for granted… I freaking love it here. I don’t want to leave.”

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