Gary Van Sickle marked his PVL coaching debut with a straight-sets win for Petro Gazz over Galeries Tower in the 2025 Reinforced Conference.
It was a triumphant debut for Petro Gazz head coach Gary Van Sickle.
The Angels kicked off their 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference campaign with a clean sweep of the Galeries Tower Highrisers, 25-21, 25-19, 25-14, at the City of Dasmariñas Arena on Thursday, October 9.
While still adjusting to the league, Van Sickle took the win as a positive step for the Angels.
“It was good. I think we came out a little slow, but overall it was a good team effort,” Van Sickle said during the post-game press conference. “The little things that we can fix, we can do that in practice. But overall, it was a good win. Any win is a good win in the PVL.”
Gary and Lisa Van Sickle took over Petro Gazz after Japanese champion coach Koji Tsuzurabara’s shock exit during the offseason.
Despite being with the team for just a few weeks, Van Sickle expressed satisfaction with their early chemistry and praised the PVL’s competitive atmosphere.
“It’s been positive, not just because we won, but everyone’s friendly, the environment is electric, so that makes it fun to coach,” he said. “The competition is pretty good. Coaches on the other side are tough, so we’re making adjustments as we go.”
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Gary’s daughter, Brooke, powered the Angels with 14 points, while returning American import Lindsey Vander Weide and middle blocker MJ Phillips added 13 and 12, respectively, in the wire-to-wire victory.
While the Van Sickles have begun to incorporate their own touches into the Angels’ system, Gary emphasized a gradual approach to change.
“We kind of didn’t rock the boat too much. We’re trying to implement little things here and there,” he explained. “Overall, the team is pretty well balanced, and the coaching staff has done a great job. By mid-season, I think we’ll have adjusted to what we want to do.”
The Angels will next face defending champion Creamline Cool Smashers on Tuesday, October 14, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, in what is expected to be one of the most anticipated matches of the early season.
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.