PVL: Brooke Van Sickle grateful for parents’ presence at games

Petro Gazz Angels’ Brooke Van Sickle in the PVL All-Filipino Conference. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines —Petro Gazz star Brooke Van Sickle is grateful to have her parents Lisa and Gary in Manila to support her games in the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference.

Van Sickle has become even more inspired to showcase her skills in the country’s pro volleyball league as her parents have been watching Petro Gazz’s games to cheer for her.

But a loss last week put a damper on the  Van Sickle family’s first PVL experience. Brook poured in 27 points for the Angel, but her effort was not enough to overcome the Chery Tiggo Crossovers in five sets. 

READ: PVL: Brooke Van Sickle’s parents proud of their daughter’s growth, grit

But the Filipino-American sensation treated her parents with a dominant 25-11, 25-19, 25-14 win over Capital1 after scoring 19 points in three sets on Tuesday at Philsports Arena.

“For them to make that journey and come out and to see me here. My mom is just unreal and I couldn’t be more grateful with the family that I was given. I’m just so happy to be able to finally connect with them and it’s just so much love, and I’m so happy,” said Van Sickle.

Brooke Van Sickle’s parents, Lisa and Gary, watching a PVL game. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

The former US NCAA Division 1 stalwart also met her mother Lisa’s clan from her hometown, San Emilio, Ilocos Sur.

“I’m so grateful, I had dinner with them, and I didn’t realize that my family’s very big. It’s like a whole clan and it was so cool that they actually drove down from San Emilio, so I think I said they said eight hours, and I just have a family that’s willing to do that,” she said.

READ: Brooke Van Sickle puts PVL on notice with impressive Petro Gazz debut

Lisa and Gary are both former volleyball athletes.

Brooke  been sensational in her first PVL stint as the top scorer with 144 points, top server with 0.52 aces per set, and third-best attacker with 38.01% spiking rate.

Despite having more time to bond with her family this Holy Week, Van Sickle remained focused on their PVL campaign as Petro Gazz, which has a 5-2 record tied with Chery Tiggo, hopes to return to the semifinals after missing the Final Four last year.

Van Sickle and the Angels battle the first seed Creamline (6-1) on April 6 in Santa Rosa, Laguna.

“We just gotta stay focused. You know, we have time to recover bodies and make sure we’re a hundred percent going in. Watch film, take care of business, focus on our side, just keep pushing each other, and one day at a time,” she said.