WHILE THE University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) is clearly recognized as the crown jewel of college athletics, players still need to compete in other tournaments in order to be at their best when the UAAP season comes. Though some teams opt to hold training camps and exhibition games in other countries, a majority joins local tournaments to get their fix of pre-season practice.
Aside from the preparation and experience that these teams gain from playing actual games, Lady Batters Team Captain Clarisse Dacanay notes that tournaments like these “[let] us gauge the strengths and weaknesses of the other collegiate teams.”
One of the major pre-season competitions in the country is the Philippine National Games (PNG). The tournament was instituted by the Philippine Sports Commission as a way to bring the best out of national team athletes and their emerging counterparts, while also serving as the premier tournament used in selecting athletes that will represent the country on the international stage.
The Philippine National Games
The squads that join the PNG get to experience competition that’s different from the usual UAAP playing style. This exposes the teams to different strategies that test their adaptability and their ability to think on the fly. This is even more crucial for sports that hold all their games in a single weekend, where scouting rival teams beforehand becomes difficult.
“We join the PNG because it’s a great way to experience more than just the UAAP level of competition,” says Justine Joseph, team captain of the Lady Fencers. “It gives us a wider variety of players to go against, with the different skill levels and playing styles.”
The tournament also gives teams the chance to measure their progress in preparing for the collegiate wars. As Blue Jins Team Captain Marc Frigillana says, “Most coaches require their teams to join the PNG so that they may gauge the team’s standing with regards to their training camp–plus a lot of other factors.”
Bringing home the gold
Leading the charge in the quest for silverware were Blue Jins Joel Alejandro and Jefferson Ong, and Lady Jin Jennevieve De Asis. Alejandro took home the gold in the welterweight division, while Ong and De Asis did the same in the heavyweight and bantamweight divisions, respectively.
Alongside them, a quartet of Blue Tracksters consisting of JB Capinpin, Joel Magturo, Gab Vera Cruz, and Maui Ramos took home the pole position in the 4x100m relay. Meanwhile, veteran Andie Ignacio provided the lone gold medal for the Ateneo Fencers during the individual foil event.
Capping off the gold haul for the Blue and White were Ateneo Judokas Marco Lasam in the -60kg division and Seanne Cheung in the +78kg Juniors division. They led the winningest outing for Ateneo, bringing home a total of seven gold, five silver, and 12 bronze medals in their PNG stint.
Lessons from the tourney
Anytime a team competes, there is always an opportunity to get better. The PNG tournament was no exception as the Atenean athletes pinpointed areas where they could refine their performance.
“There is always room for improvement,” notes Frances Siapno, the team captain of the Lady Jins. “I think the taekwondo team is a very young team and in order to be ready for the UAAP, we need to gain valuable experience to be one step ahead of the other teams.”
Blue Batters Team Captain Ryan Tionloc certainly agrees with this, especially when he considers his rookie-based team that fielded only four veterans in the PNG. “It showed how young we are as a team and how the veterans really have to step up and be leaders on and off the field to mentor the young blood and lead the team,” he says.
While experience is key in improving a team’s performance, it certainly isn’t the sole variable in the quest for a championship. A good team can still be beaten by inexperienced rivals if they lack confidence in their abilities. As Blue Paddlers Team Captain Mizo Banaria notes, this was one area which they were looking to develop in the PNG, as well.
Banaria explains that his team must have “confidence and trust in oneself,” in order to overcome their underdog status. “A new season is coming and we must believe that we are strong in the game,” he says. “We are learning how to put our heads up, even though we are faced with the toughest opponents encountered during the games.”
Banaria also predicts a return to the top for the Blue Paddlers, noting, “We’ve been training all year round and we are back to conquer [UAAP] Season 78.”
