“Happy New Year!” was all that middle blocker Pau Soriano could say after an intense workout with the Cool Smashers.
Still recovering from a knee injury she sustained last December, Alyssa Valdez attended the team practice of the Creamline Cool Smashers, not as a player but more so as a videographer. Through her Instagram, the volleyball superstar captured the vibe surrounding her squad’s exhausting training session.
As Creamline Athletic Performance Coach Mark Caron counted down towards the end of what seemed to be an extremely tough cardio exercise, you could see that every single one of Valdez’s teammates looked spent, and at the same time relieved that they’ve survived the tiring drill.
While some players found it hard to smile after doing twelve rounds of running, outside-hitter Fille Cainglet-Cayetano mustered enough energy to wink for the camera.
While catching her breath, Jema Galanza appears to relish the sense of accomplishment that she and the rest of the team had earned.
It was a practice that pushed the Cool Smashers nearly past their limits, but it was fulfilling as well knowing it would pay dividends in the upcoming PVL season. Maybe that’s why middle blocker Celine Domingo was celebrating like they had won an important match.
Judging from what we saw, it seems like the winningest franchise in PVL history is gunning for another dominant campaign this year. Creamline failed to reach the finals of the Reinforced Cup last November, and they seem fired up for redemption while waiting for their captain’s return.