Photos by Joseph S. Angan and Kevin C. Tatco

THIS UAAP Season 74 banners a theme that is very typically Atenean: “All out, All Heart.”

Hosting the most prestigious collegiate sports tournament in the Philippines entails booking the venues, arranging game schedules, and managing game days among others.

This year, Ateneo plans to set the bar with an Olympic-style UAAP opening ceremony.

“The plans for a special opening day and the actual preparations have been happening over the past three years,” said Emmanuel Fernandez, Assistant Director of the University Athletics Office.

Mounting pressure

The last time the school hosted was in 2003 for UAAP Season 66. To coincide with the school’s sesquicentennial celebrations, Ateneo was supposed to host Season 72 in 2009. However, the university administration requested not to host after learning the difficulties UP incured while concurrently arranging for the UP centennial celebrations.

In comparison, last year’s hosts, La Salle, did their own heavy lifting by holding the first ever media briefing before the season. More impressive, though, was their grand closing ceremony.

History 101

Finishing on top while hosting the season is always the ideal circumstance for host-schools. While the task may be challenging, “home-court advantage” does instill a certain drive motivating athletes to jump higher, and run faster.

Just how good has the Ateneo been in the actual sports competitions when it hosts?

In 1987, the first time Ateneo ever hosted, the men’s basketball team emerged as champions, setting the stones for the Blue Eagles’ first back-to-back in UAAP history.

Eight years later, in 1995, a nonchalant and uneventful UAAP Season 58 was quickly forgotten as only the Blue Eaglets brought significant glory to Loyola Heights.

Fast forward to 2003, and the finals featured a showdown between brothers: Coach Joel Banal of the Ateneo and Coach Coy Banal of FEU. The Tamaraws, carried by Arwind Santos and Mark Isip, defeated LA Tenorio, Doug Kramer, Rich Alvarez, Wesley Gonzales and the rest of the Blue Eagles for the crown.

Then a year later, with multiple UAAP Athlete of the Year, Pat Ozaeta, the Blue Booters started their journey towards their historic three-peat under former Head Coach Ompong Merida.

In the end, though, in spite of running the show, the outcome cannot be controlled. For almost a quarter of a century now, UST has claimed the Seniors Overall Championship trophy at season’s end. Only twice have they been thwarted: by NU in Season 49 and UP in Season 60. Thus, does hosting hold any sort of significance? Does it give you a home-court advantage that is so highly sought after in large-scale tournaments such as that of the NBA and UEFA Champions League?

On to the fray

Hosting is more than just individual victories and accumulating tallies in the win column.

“[Ateneo’s hosting] inspires me to work extra hard and play my last year at a highly competitive level, to hopefully reward not only myself and our team but all who help make the UAAP possible,” said Blue Eagles’ co-captain Kirk Long.

Inez Achacoso, captain of the Lady Booters, acknowledged the hard work of the school and the challenges ahead. She also said, “We need to develop the will to win, play with heart and let everything else follow.”

For some, this season is a perfect opportunity for redemption. “We’re as hungry as ever and we want to win for our school and the community,” said Anton Amistoso, veteran Blue Booter.

True enough, it is a year for redemption. While the Blue Eagles soaked up all the spotlight, there were many teams who fell a mere game, a point, or a mili-second short of  championship glory.

Looking for redemption will be the Blue Shuttlers, Lady Tankers and Lady Netters.

Though it may not always be the case, the Atenean athlete is, in many ways, representative of an ideal Atenean. Before the opening tip-off, expect the Blue and White to be laced up and ready to go.

The season’s theme may be typically Atenean, but that just means it’s typically excellent. All out. All heart.