Brooke Van Sickle sees plenty of potential in Alas after national team debut

Petro Gazz and Alas Pilipinas star Brooke Van Sickle in Game 2 of the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference Finals against Creamline, April 10, 2025 at the Araneta Coliseum. PVL Media

MANILA – Filipino-American volleyball star Brooke Van Sickle is looking forward to representing the flag again following her debut for Alas Pilipinas in the recently concluded 2025 VTV Cup.

"We're grateful to be able to be a part of the team surrounded by such wonderful players and to be able to have that opportunity to be able to play at like a high level. It's super awesome as a volleyball player, like that's the goal, right? So it was awesome," she told reporters on Monday

"It was not the result we wanted, but I trust in the process and I'm really proud of everyone fighting the rest and, you know, there's more volleyball to play and I'm just really happy to have seen and experience what I have and be able to grow from it, so I'm very excited for the future," she added.

She also shared her biggest takeaway from suiting up for the national team.

"I mean, there's a lot of lessons to be learned. Just seeing the different styles of volleyball throughout different countries is really cool to see. And just physicality and just the smarts and the IQ that other teams have is awesome to be able to go against. And again, it's a process for the Philippines. We're working very hard and taking what we can and learning from it. So I think there's so much opportunity and potential in our team," Van Sickle said.

"It's a wonderful experience getting to know all the girls, too. Now I have more friends. Just to get to know all the girls individually on a personal level is super awesome. And to be a part of this, it feels truly like a family and everyone supports each other. And it's awesome to step inside the practice gym. And yes, we're friends also pushing each other in a competitive way and everything," she added.

Van Sickle likewise lauded the performance of her team the Petro Gazz Angels in the Premier Volleyball League.

"Me and MJ, missing from Petro Gazz, I'm really proud of the girls. They're all stepping up and they're working very hard. It doesn't matter who's on the court. They're all taking it very seriously. And it's awesome to be able to see all the players. It doesn't matter who it is stepping on the court and producing. So I'm really excited to be able to watch them, support them," she said.

MJ Phillips, who was also part of the Alas squad that competed in Vietnam, shared the sentiment of Van Sickle.

"I had a blast, honestly, with Vietnam and these girls. Yeah, I played before, but this is just like a different experience. Younger players, so now we're coming in or I'm coming in as a veteran, so it's a learning curve for me, too," she shared.

Fellow Fil-Am player Tia Andaya also relished the opportunity to play for Alas.

"There's been a lot going on, but like Brooke said, I feel like I've been waiting for a while to get to play for this country," she said.

"Unlike them, I haven't really experienced much training with the team yet. But just watching them is super fun and seeing what they can do, kind of getting familiar with it from afar. And then also seeing those girls that I got drafted with play, it's super awesome to see them and to be successful," Andaya said when asked about her team, the Choco Mucho Flying Titans in the Premier Volleyball League.

Alas Women head coach Jorge Souza De Brito earlier said the paperwork of the Fil-Am trio has been completed before the FIVB.

When asked if their transfer is official, de Brito said he has yet to see the papers but he expects to find out within the week if they have been cleared as Filipino players.

"Yeah, I mean, I'm hoping for it. All we can do is just wait and see how the process goes. So hopefully we'll know soon, sooner than later. That's the plan. But I'm just, again, super grateful to be able to represent our country and be able to wear that Philippines flag on the chest. It's amazing. So I'm really excited for the future and to see what we can do in the future," Van Sickle said.

"So just day by day, we'll have to start working together, build that chemistry, and then really show the world how Philippines volleyball is," she added.

After back-to-back tours of duty in the AVC Women's Nations Cup and the VTV Cup, Alas Women's will next represent the country in the SEA V.League.