First Overall: Crystal Mildwaters on the PYCL, the Gems and the Dream Breaker

Crystal Mildwaters went first overall in the PYCL draft, and the Cebuana Lhuillier Gems' captain is now the league's No.1 ranked player. Chris Beaumont catches up with her at 10pm in Manila to talk about the Pickle Yard Conference League (PYCL), the professional league in the Philippines now in its second season.

We start with draft night: a gala where they booked out an entire cinema, why going No.1 felt like fate given her family's roots in Cebu, and the Australian connection with Aaron Johnson.

Then the game itself: the Gems' Dream Breaker plan, why Filipino courts play faster and the 48-hole ball sits up, how the dinking differs from Australia, and the teams to watch, including Mikar Fisher and the Cartivo Movers.

Crystal explains life as a PYCL ambassador, a league week, game day with the Gems fans, and how 300 people in the stands turned into 11 million live-stream views in two weeks.

And her story: the tennis years, the switch to pickleball, going from last female pick in Queensland to first overall in a year, and captaining the Opals to the 2026 NPL title after being down in the final and going into "war mode".

Finally: how Filipino fans pick a team, the Vietnam comparison, being recognised by her dentist, and courts full until 3am.

PYCL Season 2 runs to the final on 27 November, broadcast on GMA with SPOTV online.

Chapters:

00:00 Cold open: the No.1 pick felt like fate

00:55 Welcome: PYCL and Crystal Mildwaters

02:42 PYCL draft night: the gala

04:11 Aaron Johnson and the Australian connection

05:00 Dream Breaker strategy

06:16 Helping the Filipino game grow

07:39 Philippines v Australia: faster courts, 48-hole ball, dinking

09:48 Teams to watch: Mikar Fisher and Cartivo

10:45 What the Gems need to win it

11:56 Life as a PYCL ambassador

13:39 Filipino roots

14:51 Game day and the Gems fans

16:57 A PYCL league week

18:16 The tennis years

21:20 From tennis to pickleball: last pick to first pick

23:56 Quickfire: left or right, one Filipino to watch

25:06 Most memorable match: the NPL final

26:35 If not the Gems, who?

27:38 How Filipino fans pick a team

29:07 Team fandom and the Vietnam comparison

30:24 Recognised by the dentist and pickleball all night

31:36 Wrap-up

Guest: Crystal Mildwaters

Host: Chris Beaumont

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