Leila Cruz looking at career reboot with PLDT

Leila Cruz is eager to elevate her skills as she opens a new chapter of her career with perennial power PLDT ahead of the new PVL season.

That is the one thing the towering opposite spiker wants to achieve after getting snagged by the High Speed Hitters from Capital1 as she gets the chance to see action alongside fellow products of the rock-solid La Salle program in the UAAP.

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“My main expectation coming to PLDT is to improve my skills. That’s what I want to work on first,” said Cruz in Filipino as PLDT sees action in Lanao Del Norte for its final PVL on Tour game on Saturday against Akari.

“I’ll think about getting more exposure later. For now, I just need to focus on myself and how I can continue to improve as a player.”

PLDT coach Rald Ricafort was surprised by the signing of Cruz, who was the second overall pick of Capital1 in the 2024 PVL Rookie Draft. But he welcomes the young gem, hoping to unlock her full potential.

“We were surprised, but we’re very happy with the acquisition,” Ricafort told the Inquirer in Filipino. “Hopefully, it’s a good problem to have. She’s still young and has faced a few challenges, but hopefully we can help her learn and continue to improve. We’ll just take it one day at a time.”

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The former La Salle Lady Spiker is reunited with college teammates Alleiah Malaluan and Jessa Ordiales. She will also team up with other La Salle alumni like Kianna Dy, Kim Fajardo, Majoy Baron and Mika Reyes.

“I’m really happy to have moved to PLDT, especially since they’re a championship team,” Cruz said. “I’m very grateful for the opportunity to be teammates again with my seniors and some of my former teammates from La Salle. I’m really looking forward to learning more from the team and improving my skills with them.”

Cruz started joining team practice two days ago and knows that she still has a lot of catching up to do. She is thankful that she has other former Lady Spikers on the team willing to help her out.

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“I’m really thankful to Alleiah because she’s been the one assisting and guiding me around the team,” she said. “She never makes me feel like I’m alone, so I’m really grateful to her.

“One of the reasons I chose PLDT is because they’re a championship team,” she continued. “I feel like the veterans and the entire team can really help me become stronger and grow as an athlete.”