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In volleyball, a game is divided into sets. Each set builds upon the last, progressing toward a final score. When we caught up with her, it seems Alyssa Valdez's life right now is playing out in sets, too—first as a veteran player, then as a mentor and role model, and lastly, as herself.
The 31-year-old player has been in the game for more than a decade now, but after a life-questioning pandemic and a long-standing injury, she's found a deeper connection with the sport she's grown up with her whole life. Off the court, she's also embracing new roles, balancing her career with a growing passion for empowering others, and making a difference in Philippine sports.
Alyssa Valdez for Cosmopolitan Philippines December 2024
The story of Alyssa's illustrious career puts the "myth" in mythical player. She was recruited to be part of the UST Tigress Cubs in high school before earning her reputation as "The Phenom" as she led the Ateneo Lady Eagles to three (!) UAAP Championships. After college, she played pro with teams like Smart-Maynilad, PLDT, the Thai-based 3BB Nakornnont, and the Taiwan-based Attack Line. She's currently with Rebisco's Creamline Cool Smashers, who play in the Premier Volleyball League, formerly known as the Shakey's V League.
Alyssa recounts how her journey with the team began in 2017. "They thought of making a team and then they just asked me if I wanted to be part of it. I'm not even kidding when I say that I didn't even think twice when I said yes to them because I know I'm in good hands," she shares.
Alyssa is wearing an inner top from Heliot (available at Akimbo), a jacket from YOYA (available in Comme Ci), and pants from Dion Lee.
She's officially been with Creamline for seven years now, but she's felt Rebisco's support ever since her school days. "I've witnessed that since back when I was in college pa lang, around 2014. They were there already." She remembers team lunches, dinners, and even small allowances that meant the difference for her and her teammates as student-athletes.
"They're there to support the sport talaga. And as an athlete, yun yung isa sa mga things na gusto namin—yung genuine support from a brand, from a management na really looking after the athletes. Aside from being solid, they're so consistent in supporting the sport," she shares.
Since the team's inception, Creamline has never placed below third in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL). It was in September 2024 that they clinched the highly coveted Grand Slam after winning all three conferences: All-Filipino, Reinforced, and Invitational. It was a feat that Alyssa didn't get to take part in completely, as she was sidelined because of her injury.
Alyssa is wearing a skirt from Harlan & Holden.
Alyssa didn't mince words when discussing her road to recovery. "As in nag-revert talaga—bumalik ako sa pagiging rookie. Ang masama lang, 30-plus years old na ako, so I have to balance also," she opens up. "I'm challenging myself to be at my best. At the same time, age is just a number. But it's still different. How would I balance it and make sure na healthy and productive pa rin yung magiging result niya—yun yung challenge sa'kin," she adds.
"This is my first, I'd say, major injury. I had to step back. It's been hot and cold—literally,” she reveals. "One day you're good, the next day you're back to zero."
As with any training session, there's always a lesson to be learned. For Alyssa, her main takeaway was to be patient. "I've been very stubborn—I feel like I'm still young, that I'm able to just play with pain, with feeling the things that I shouldn't be feeling. One thing I've learned is to be patient and to see the sport in a different light as well."
Alyssa is wearing a skirt from Harlan & Holden.
Alyssa was used to either side of the net, but not so much the bleachers. "Never ko kasi na-appreciate yung volleyball outside. Parang for the past 20 years, I've been playing the sport talaga so I've never seen it in a different perspective up until now." She enjoyed feeling the thrill from the stands. "Kaya pala gusto ng mga tao yung volleyball. Kaya pala siya entertaining. I get to love the other side of volleyball," she says.
But again, even as she enjoys watching as a fan, she had the understandable thoughts and feelings of an athlete all warmed up, but without a game to play. "The hiccups are part of growing up but it's not easy. I would say, easier said than done. It's actually frustrating. I mean, if I may say the word, it's depressing. And sometimes you actually question yourself and everyone, why is this happening to you?”
She knew she wasn't alone, though. "I realized na even in recovering, it's really a team effort." She shares, "It's not a sign of weakness to ask for help. It's not a sign of weakness na masakit. Or pag nakita mo yung sugat mo, or pag nakita mo yung mga tahi mo dun sa tuhod mo. And sometimes you would just say na parang wow, you're still able to fight even with all those battle scars." You could hear the phenom in her speaking.
Alyssa is wearing a skirt from Dion Lee.
For someone with such a storied career, it's hard to believe that Alyssa still has some goals to check off her bucketlist. She opens up about wanting to do more as part of Alas Pilipinas a.k.a. the Philippine National Volleyball Team. They've yet to bring home a gold for the country in recent years. She says, "Unfortunately, I haven't done that as a member of the national team. So I think it's one thing na if given a chance, I would really work 100 to 200 percent to make that happen. But siyempre, if it's not for me already, then I have to move forward."
But Alyssa's true legacy for the Philippines isn't a trophy or a medal—it's the future she's shaping in the next generation of Filipino volleyball stars.
Alyssa's wisdom and knowledge about what it takes to make it to the big leagues (literally) is what fueled her to start her own volleyball clinics. "During the pandemic, siyempre you were like, 'Pag wala nang volleyball, sino ka na? What do you do? What's your purpose in life?'" That's how the concept of the Alyssa Valdez Youth Training Camp was born.
"We tap mga LGUs kasi actually when I was a kid, I wasn't able to join camps kasi wala naman masyado nag-ka-camp sa provinces," the Batangueña recalls. "I think yun yung isa sa mga things na feeling ko mayroong gap sa atin. If ma-close natin yung gap na yun na ma-touch natin mga youth or out of school youth, eventually lahat may opportunities to be someone like a pro volleyball player and have a career as well."
Alyssa is wearing an inner top from Heliot (available at Akimbo), a jacket from YOYA (available in Comme Ci), and pants from Dion Lee.
She's held five camps so far—which is already a feat in itself, but it's even more impressive when you consider that she's basically in-season the entire year. It's a three-day volleyball camp, and she only attends on the last day for the final game to keep the participants focused on the training. "Since I'm obligated to go just one day, I make sure na wala akong game ng day na yun. Aside from that, we talk to the LGUs kung kailan nila gusto rin, kung meron ba silang mga months na gusto nila ilagay yung camps for sports month or something like that."
It'll be a while before we see the younger players take over, but today's players already have Alyssa's attention. She has nothing but praises for those following her generation’s footsteps. "They're born to play volleyball," she declares. "Skills-wise, ang taas talaga ng volleyball IQ nila. But I must say, because of all these people, these girls, these guys, Philippine volleyball will, at this point, will peak even more in the next few years."
It's not just in the pro leagues that players are making a name for themselves. These days, anyone with a following on social media is automatically an influencer-slash-key opinion leader-slash-content creator—including, of course, athletes. Alyssa has been attending brand events here and there as herself, but for her, she's a representative of the sports community altogether.
Alyssa is wearing an inner top from Heliot (available at Akimbo), a jacket from YOYA (available in Comme Ci), and pants from Dion Lee.
"It's kinda weird for me to get out of the court, if that makes sense," she says. "Just because going to these events, I wouldn't even think that sports personalities are part of that community as well. But, I'm happy we're given that space already. We're respected in such a way na we're role models like them as well." It's also a way to show that sports isn't as intimidating as it seems. "We wanna welcome everyone."
She adds, "It's nice to be out there representing sports. I mean, it's really overwhelming. Kasi siyempre, it's our responsibility at the end of the day to represent the sports community in a way na ma-re-respect kami talaga in other fields."
Their playing ground now extends beyond whatever arena they're competing in. It now includes spaces shared with actresses, artists, models, and creatives. "Ganun mo makikita na you can unite pala. Even with other communities, you can be united."
Alyssa is wearing a skirt from Harlan & Holden.
Of course, Alyssa isn't new to the spotlight as a celebrity athlete—she's had her fair share of headlines, public breakups, and fake social media deaths. "Hindi mo maiiwasan," she says frankly. "May it be true or hindi or like baseless na mga issues or mga photos or mamamatay ka na lang bigla sa social media, 'di ba? You really wouldn't know what will happen to you on social media."
One thing she's learned, though, is to live by her own truth. "I think the first thing na important sa akin, kung ano yung alam ko na truth and alam ng mga close friends ko na truth, that's all that matters. Other things na lumalabas sa social media, I don't think it matters to me or will affect me na malaki yung impact niya sa akin." When the issues involve other people dear to her, that's when she takes the extra step to release a statement.
At the end of the day, Alyssa knows that she lives right by the people around her. "Not all would believe in your statement. So, you know, you do what makes you sleep at night, what gives you peace. Sometimes hindi mo mapipigilan na may masasabi't masasabi yung mga tao. You just have to know your core so that intact ka even though may mga gano'ng instances sa buhay."
Alyssa is wearing an inner top from Heliot (available at Akimbo), a jacket from YOYA (available in Comme Ci), and pants from Dion Lee.
When asked what she does on a rare day-off, she answers simply: "Hindi ako nag-a-alarm. The simple choice. Simple wins in life," she quips. "But honestly, I try to spend it with my friends." She still makes sure to dedicate at least an hour for active rest by picking up a golf club or a tennis racket, which requires a different mindset from a team sport like volleyball. "Trying individual sports, it makes me think a lot in a way na parang paano ba i-handle yung sarili ko. Ang dami ko natutunan talaga sa individual sports."
As for her dating life, she shares with a laugh, "I'm single and ready." She adds, "It's hard that really no one really bothers to date. You get me? Kasi sobrang busy. You can ask the guys. Let's ask the guys why they don't date."
In volleyball, you win the game when you win three straight sets out of five. And so far, Alyssa seems to be leading each one. There's a couple of drawbacks here and there, but she's staying two points ahead every time. "Honestly, I'm excited kung ano pa yung mga matutunan ko. I feel like there's so much more. So I can't wait also to see the other side of Alyssa in that aspect. Kasi, ngayon, I didn't even realize I would be Alyssa as a volleyball player."
Alyssa is wearing a skirt from Dion Lee.
Alyssa was refreshingly real about the past few years she's had. "I have to actually enjoy every moment of it. I have to be in it talaga. I have to feel the pain. Parang yun yung tinuro sa akin siguro ni Lord for the past few years after the pandemic—I have to feel everything so I can live," she says.
"I've just been enjoying playing this sport and not really knowing who Alyssa Valdez was." That in itself was the knowing wisdom of a veteran player, the gentle honesty of a role model and mentor, and the unending passion of Alyssa, all rolled into one. Whether Alyssa has a couple more sets to win—we don't know yet for sure. But it's safe to say she's already setting up the play. And if her career has been any indication, we'll be on the edge of our seats for the rally.
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PHOTOGRAPHY: Borgy Angeles, assisted by Rojan Maguyon
ART DIRECTION: Ica Del Mundo
ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Ida Aldana
PRODUCED BY: Alyana Olivar and Cheska Santiago
STYLING: Jro Alarcio and Claire Fernando of Qurator, assisted by Jermainne Lagura
MAKEUP: Jason delos Reyes
HAIRSTYLING: MJ Rone
SET STYLING: Kamila Garcia
STORY BY: Ida Aldana
VIDEOS: Cherrie Julian and Olan Pingco
SOCIAL MEDIA: Aina Lizarondo, assisted by Keonna Atienza
Shot on location at Gameville Ballpark