By MARK REY MONTEJO
It’s going to be a family affair at Petro Gazz after the Angels management hired Brooke Van Sickle’s dad Gary and mom Lisa as their newest chief tactician and assistant coach for the upcoming 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference kicking off Oct. 7.
The team announced the latest development onTuesday evening, Sept. 30.
Both former Hawaii-based universities standouts before becoming experienced mentors in the States, Gary and Lisa bring their knowledge together with their daughter Brooke, the league’s back-to-back MVP, as they try to steer Petro Gazz on top of the import-laden competition.
Gary will replace interim coach Brian Esquibel, who briefly handled the squad after Japanese seasoned strategist Koji Tjusurabara bade farewell last July.
“They nurtured greatness at home, now they bring that same passion to the sidelines to guide our team to greater heights,” Petro Gazz wrote on its social media post.
“The coaching tandem of the Van Sickles takes charge of the Angels. Here’s for a new era! Welcome, Coach Gary and Coach Lisa,” it added.
Meanwhile, Brooke’s friend Lindsey Vander Weide was called up anew by the Angels to keep up with other teams which are currently busy inserting world-class imports to bolster their respective campaigns.
It can be recalled that the 6-foot-3 outside hitter was the one who endorsed Brooke to Petro Gazz.
Vander Weide, 27, had already played in PVL when she spearheaded Petro Gazz’s 2022 championship victory via a sweep over Cignal in the same conference. In the same year, she bagged the first-ever Best Foreign Guest Player and Finals MVP.
With Van Sickles in the crew, the 27-year-old looks to rekindle her magical run with the Angels, who recently captured their first All-Filipino crown last April.
Regarding other teams’ addition, the list includes Courtney Schwan (Creamline), Anastasiia Bavykina (PLDT), Evan Chantava (Cignal), Yunieska Bautista (Chery Tiggo), Helene Rousseaux (Farm Fresh), Anna DeBeer (ZUS Coffee), Paola Martinez Vela (Nxled), and Jelena Cviovic (Galeries Tower).
