MANILA -- Jia de Guzman was already an elite player when she left the Creamline Cool Smashers in 2023 to pursue her dream of playing overseas.
De Guzman is now set to return to the Cool Smashers after a two-year stint with the Denso Airybees in Japan, and Creamline captain Alyssa Valdez expects her longtime teammate to be an even better player and leader once she suits up for them again.
"Honestly, even before Jia [went] to Japan and played with Alas [Pilipinas], we all know Jia is Jia," said Valdez, who has played with de Guzman since their collegiate days in the Ateneo de Manila University.
"With all the experiences she's getting on and off the court, I bet more than ever … She's gonna be one of the ates in the team," she added.
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De Guzman is already the team captain of the Alas Pilipinas women's national volleyball team, and recently steered them to a historic second-place finish in the AVC Women's Nations Cup. She is tipped to return to Creamline only after Alas concludes their campaigns in international tournaments.
For Valdez, watching de Guzman's growth in the past two years is a source of pride.
"I'm just really glad I've witnessed siguro all these ups -- wala atang downs si Jia eh -- all these ups in her career," she said. "We're all gonna be here. I'm always gonna be here, supporting her and kung ano man ang tahakin niya … Philippines and Creamline will always be her home."
Making their impending reunion all the more meaningful is the presence of other former Ateneo players in Creamline.
Aside from Valdez, the Cool Smashers also have Ella de Jesus, Denden Lazaro-Revilla, and Bea de Leon in their roster -- all of whom were key contributors in the Ateneo teams that won the back-to-back crowns in UAAP Seasons 76 and 77.
"Nakaka-feel na bata pa din kami, just because we've always been together since then," said Valdez. "Who would have thought we're gonna be together again after how many years, 'di ba?"