Alyssa Valdez reflects on her experience covering the 2025 SEA Games as a sports correspondent

Alyssa Valdez, the iconic Alas Pilipinas and Creamline Cool Smashers star, is widely regarded as the most popular volleyball player in the Philippines and a key figure in bringing the sport into the national mainstream.

However, Valdez was notably absent from Alas Pilipinas’ squad for the recently concluded 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand, instead taking on a new challenge as a media correspondent for Cignal, the official broadcaster of the SEA Games in the Philippines.

In the latest episode of her podcast, “The Transition Playbook,” the 32-year-old admitted she was initially nervous about her new role, given that it was an entirely different environment from competing on the court.

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“Honestly, when I took the job, I was asking Boom Gonzales kung paano ba gagawin? Sobrang kabado talaga ako,” Valdez shared, recalling the anxiety she felt stepping into broadcasting.

Valdez added that working alongside familiar faces added a unique layer of pressure.

“I’M EXCITED FOR WHAT’S NEXT FOR OUR TEAM.”

Alyssa Valdez shares the origin of her podcast, Transition Playbook, and also looks forward to the upcoming PVL campaign following the teams’ movements ahead of the 2026 season. | via Luisa Morales/One Sports#PVL2026 pic.twitter.com/fjegvZ34Vg

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) January 10, 2026

“I was once teammates with all these players, most especially sa women’s indoor volleyball, di ba? So medyo iba din talaga yung kaba,” she explained.

Despite the initial awkwardness, Valdez embraced her new responsibilities, finding that covering the games gave her a fresh perspective on sports and the athletes she had once competed alongside.

“I’d say, nagging iba yung relationship ko with sports. Kasi, one, as an athlete, alam mo yung pinaghirapan nung mga athlete na lumalaban to represent the country. Iba yung pag-approach ko din sa kanila. I just feel like iba yung pag-approach ko sa kanila bilang atleta pa rin. So, yun yung actually dinala ko when I went there. And yun naman yung advice din sa akin nila Boom. Iba din yung pagiging conversation when you talk parang as athletes to athletes. So, yun yung dinala ko. But siguro now, mas lumawak yung learnings about sports,” Valdez said.

With a major international assignment under her belt, Valdez is now contemplating whether sports broadcasting could be a future career path after she retires from volleyball.

“I think if I’m gonna do it, I really want to explore more. But if I’m gonna do it, I really have to learn and really study all the things na kasama nun. Kasi, siyempre, ibang world na yun. So, I really want to be ready if magkaroon ulit ng chance na mapunta ako sa ganong sitwasyon,” she concluded.

Valdez’s experience at the SEA Games highlights her adaptability and dedication to Philippine sports, showing that her influence extends beyond the court. By embracing a role in sports media, she not only gains a new perspective but also continues to inspire athletes and fans alike.

Whether she chooses to pursue broadcasting full-time or focuses on her volleyball career, Alyssa Valdez remains a trailblazer, bridging the worlds of elite competition and sports storytelling.

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