Parents rave about daughter Brooke Van Sickle thriving in PVL with Petro Gazz

MANILA, Philippines – There were many amazed at the skills of Filipino-American spiker Brooke Van Sickle since coming home to the Philippines to play with the Petro Gazz Angels in the ongoing 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference.

But none were more in awe of the 26-year-old than her parents Lisa and Gary, who were able to watch her play in the PVL for the first time on Thursday, as the Angels battled the Chery Tiggo Crossovers at the Araneta Coliseum.

Bearing witness to her development as a volleyball player from childhood, the Van Sickles were nothing but proud of their daughter.

“Oh my gosh, it’s been so much fun watching her blossom into the player that she is today,” said Lisa. 

“I think what impresses me the most about her is her fearlessness. Like, she doesn’t get very rattled and she knows how… I call her the closer because she knows how to close the game, I feel. She’s always been that way.” she added.

Both Lisa and Gary were Brooke’s coach in volleyball from when she started out at eight years old until she went to college at the University of Hawaii.

Now already in the pros and keeping pace with the best of Philippine volleyball, Gary believes all that she’s gone through in her career has prepared her for this moment in Manila.

“She’s gone a long way. We coached her, she started at eight, she was a little girl. Seeing her now, it’s been a good journey for her and I think she’s ready for, you know, this moment, playing here. [We’re] happy to be here,” he said.

Though the Angels lost to Chery Tiggo in five sets, Brooke had a tremendous outing in front of her parents, scoring 27 points in the narrow loss.

For consolation, the Fil-Am spiker was able to celebrate her 26th birthday the next day with her parents in the country.