Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Alyssa Valdez’ international club career has officially began after the Philippines’ most popular volleyball star left for Thailand Sunday.
The former three-time UAAP MVP will join Thai club team 3BB Nakornnont which will see action in the second round of the Thai league.
Valdez admits this will be a new field for her and she’s starting things off without any familiar faces around her.
“Hindi ko rin ma-explain kung gaano ako ka-excited and kung gaano ako kinakabahan kasi it’s a different challenge (I can’t explain how excited I am and how nervous I am because it’s a different challenge,” said Valdez.
“Mag-isa lang ako and yung external factors nandoon pa rin (I’m all alone and the external factors are still there).”
Valdez is set to stay in Thailand until late April as 3BB Nakornnont will compete in the Thai-Denmark Super League.
Though she’s in unfamiliar territory, Valdez looks forward to facing Thai international Pleumjit Thinkaow who spearheaded club team Bangkok Glass in the FIVB’s continental and world club championships in 2016.
“Hindi ko pa nakakalaban sila Pleumjit and yung mga seniors ng ibang teams, kasi nung SEA [Southeast Asian] Games naman hindi natin sila ka-bracket (I haven’t played against Pleumjit and the other seniors before because during the SEA Games we were in different brackets),” said Valdez.