For the third straight year, the Ateneo Blue Babble Battalion landed in 8th place in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Cheerdance Competition.
What went wrong? Why are we in last place again? How can other schools do better than us when we are arguably a better academic institution?
We did not do too well. What people probably did not know is that two of our lifters injured their ankles severely due to separate freak accidents in the first minute and a half of the routine. Naturally, if your pyramid base is not strong, it will crumble. The other stunts and tosses also suffered because of the injuries to the two boys.
Interestingly, the Babble scored higher in their pyramids this year than they did in 2014. They leveled up in difficulty and had a more technically advanced routine. This is because the skill level of the team this year is higher than that of last year’s team.
If the public had witnessed the run that they performed in the morning, it would have been a different story. The tosses were high, the pyramids were sturdy, and our flyers were caught. Everything was perfect. At that time, coaches from other schools even went up to us and said that we had a chance to move up to 5th or 6th place depending on how the other schools fare.
Alas, the sport is not as forgiving, and you only get one shot in front of everyone.
National University (NU) triggered a massive change in how schools prepared for the Cheerdance Competition. From 2011 to the present, NU’s coaches recruit Palarong Pambansa gymnasts. The University of the Philippines also has their VAAS (Varsity Athletic Admission System) wherein slots are awarded to exemplary athletes and dancers who may not have taken or passed the University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT). All the other Universities have scholarships given to their members, including those in their Team B (and in some cases, Team C).
It would be unfair to say that the Ateneo, through the University Athletics Office (UAO), is not doing anything about the situation. In fact, the Babble and the Athletics Office officials have been trying to recruit gymnasts the past two years. Our biggest hurdle is the fact that most of the recruits do not pass the Ateneo College Entrance Test (ACET). Those that did pass eventually decided to go to different schools, not necessarily in the UAAP. Recruitment and continuity are the main issues plaguing the Blue Babble’s performance in the UAAP Cheerdance Competition.
Regardless of our recruitment and continuity woes, there has still been tremendous support from the UAO the past years for the Blue Babble. The team was provided a complete set of mats, to minimize any safety risks of doing stunts on a parquet floor. They have invested in a trampoline and crash mats to improve gymnastics skills. Moreover, they started hiring three coaches for the team–one to focus on Cheerleading/games, one to build the skills, and one to choreograph the routine. This allows for a more structured and specialized approach to training, whereas before it was just one coach handling all aspects. Any injuries sustained during training and competitions are also handled directly by the University.
The coaching staff also decided to give the Competition lineup more focus, by no longer requiring them to watch the games. We have separated the Cheerdancers into the Competition lineup and the UAAP lineup–where the Competition lineup focuses on competing in the UAAP and the National Cheerleading Championship while the UAAP lineup has the mandate of cheering for all games of Team Ateneo in the UAAP. This should solve team lineup continuity issues, since a lot of members quit due to the amount of time and work involved in being a member of the team. Minimizing their roles and tasks allows them to focus on training and gives them breathing room to address their academic requirements as well.
Even the ticket selling system for Cheerdance tickets was changed in the past years. Time was when anybody could buy from Ateneo. As a result, we rarely had a crowd supporting our team. Recently, the UAO conferred with the Program Heads of each sport that the Blue Babble cheers for, and got their support by having the athletes watch and support the Babble during the Cheerdance Competition. Cheerdance Competition tickets are now being prioritized for the athletes and the performers’ family and friends.
There is still a lot of work to be done. We have yet to find the most optimum way of recruitment. We have yet to feel the fruits of all the investments in training tools given to the students. But the Ateneo community should be assured that we know what is wrong, and we are working as hard as we can to address it. Change will come, but it will not happen overnight.
At the same time, we would like to give praise to our current members of the Blue Babble Battalion. A third straight 8th place finish does not define the members. These are students who devote blood, sweat, tears, and time, just to represent Ateneo. They sacrifice their bodies for the sake of a four-minute performance. They go out there and risk life and limb to build a pyramid for the community. They are not the most skilled, and not the most talented. But I guarantee, they work the hardest, and have the biggest hearts. As their Program Head, and as an Atenean, nothing makes me prouder than seeing them try as hard as they can, regardless of how insurmountable the odds seem against them.
Faith, Spirit, and Leadership. This is the creed by which all Babble members go by. I would like to enjoin the Ateneo community to have faith. Everything that the Babble does is for the community. We do this without counting the cost. We work without seeking rest. We do this without asking for reward. All for God’s greater glory. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.
Ralph Aligada is the program head of the Ateneo Blue Babble Battalion.
“How can other schools do better than us when we are arguably a better academic institution?”
Academics has nothing to do with how you perform in sporting field, though.
Same with my thoughts too. Also, I think this statement is a bit ‘discriminative’ to other educational institutions undermining other academic institutions which is very unbecoming of an Atenean.
He’s just reiterating what other people say. Look beyond that one statement. I’m pretty sure your brain won’t be fucked over with trying to see the bigger picture.
This article is shit, and so is one of your members who said “Okay lang kahit last place kami, daanin na lang sa itsura.” Like WTF? You’re not even good looking. So fucking full of yourself.
Your comment is pure BS. You probably even made that up, may masabi ka Lang.
I couldn’t stomach this article. It’s not an opinion on why Ateneo lost, it’s an excuse and a lousy one at that. And you have to give credit to the other schools because it’s not just the recruitment that allows them to perform excellent routines! They practice waaaay harder imo
Oh, so you’ve seen every cheering team practice? Babble practices just as hard as the other teams do with what they have. So unless you’ve actually seen all the cheering teams practice and are capable of quantifying “practicing hard,” just shut up and please make more intelligent comments.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
The Guidon, honestly don’t you screen your articles before you post them? This isn’t journalism. This is the type of shit a 12 year old girl writes in her blog. This isn’t the first time this type of incident has happened.
Get your shit straight or your school will forever be branded as a sore loser.
I considered The Guidon as one of the most well-respected university publications but because of this article, I think I was wrong. What a shame.
just saying, this is an opinion article.
First of all, I highly respect this university publication but this article didn’t make the cut, in my opinion. I’ve been a die-hard Ateno Fan since God knows how long ago. I’ve been supporting every team, even the Blue Babble Battalion. Yes, they lost. Yes, they landed in the 8th place. But, can’t we just accept it? That’s why people say, “Bawi. Bawi!” Not all the time we can be on top. The Ateneo Community is proud of the Blue Babble Battalion. They may have not landed on top, but I’m sure they put out a fight. Please don’t question the fact that Blue Babble Battalion landed at the bottom. Don’t ask how/why other schools landed on the higher spots if Ateneo is a “better academic institution.” Maybe they did their best, but the other teams just did a tad bit better. They gave their hearts and souls, yes. But that probably wasn’t enough. Ateneo Blue Babble Battalion is nothing to be ashamed of. They were the ones cheering during athletic games when the Blue/Lady Eagles/players were done. They were the ones cheering when no one would have the energy to cheer anymore. Bounce back, Blue Babble Battalion! What an article, The Guidon. What an article. How shameful.
I dont want to judge the publication based on one HIGHLY QUESTIONABLE article, but it’s difficult to look past this considering that published content is what makes you reputable or not. I understand that the Ateneo fell short once again in the UAAP Cheerdance but what is the connection between the university being a “better academic institution”? In the first place, why even write about this issue?
Just because ADMU does not recruit in the so called norm that other universities practice does not make that the sole reason why you are not progressing. At the end of the day, it’s all about accountability. Taking responsibility that A) You did not have a more creative routine as other universities, B) Not practicing as much as other teams, and C) Not having the perfect execution.
It’s extremely childish to blame your loss on external factors. Just accept defeat, see the flaws in your routines and work on that. There is NO need to explain and cover up your real mistakes and create an article about it. It is irresponsible journalism, hell it looks like a blog post. Perhaps, sensationalism at it’s finest.
What a shame. Why is this even on here? Even if it’s an opinion, the arguments used were highly invalid and lacks sound reasoning.
I know its an opinion page and the author is always entitled to his/her own opinion, but if you ask the program manager of the blue babble battalion to write an opinion regarding the team and the competition they just joined and lost miserably then its going to be biased (and even offensive). The content does not enlighten and it simply places the entire community in a bad light. I wish Guidon chose their opinion writers more carefully. Also even though the target audience are Ateneans, writers should bear in mind that their articles are read by people outside the Ateneo community.
I do understand that this is an opinion page, but it’s so blatantly biased for Ateneo that it makes me sick. Give credit where credit is due. There’s no need to bring down other schools. A shame this article was published under the GUIDON.
Way, way back (maybe 2008-ish) Guidon posted a scathing “expose” about the Ateneo Residence Halls. We should be used to this already; Guidon thrives on controversy.
Please do not flatter yourself.
This article makes me feel bad for all the UP, UST, and FEU supporters since they are the ones being called bitter. And yet here you are.
I respect the fact that this is an opinion piece but this is most definitely not of journalistic standard. Proper opinion-based articles are built upon solid facts, rather than excuses and, to quote a popular Filipino term, “pagbubuhat ng bangko”.
I respect the fact that this is an opinion article, but do not respect the article in any way.
Wag mo ‘kong inglish-inglishin sa bayan ko, punyeta.
“All the other Universities have scholarships given to their members, including those in their Team B (and in some cases, Team C).”
>>> This is definitely NOT TRUE for all. Please, double check your facts before you generalize. You can give credit to your squad all you want, but it should not be at the expense of discrediting “all other universities”.
Kayo lang ba may injuries????
It’s cheerdance! I’m pretty sure the other schools had injuries as well!
Yes, it’s an opinion but halong halo yung bitterness.
burn foo
I’m assuming you were facing the same problem with recruitment and scholarship back in 2009 when Blue Babble won second place with a Michael Jackson routine. So why make excuses now when you were able to accomplish getting to the podium six years ago? There were people that were not experienced gymnasts in that line up, too.
The author can console the team if he wants to, but he takes this consolation a step further. He not only gives excuses as to why the team didn’t perform well, but also makes claims as to why other teams performed better. The point is, they performed better not (just) because other schools offer more incentives (not always) or because these athletes are accepted even if they didn’t pass their school’s entrance exams (also not true, why even bring this up?), but because they had better routines which were executed better.
I’m sure the team works hard, and I hope they do better next year, but articles like this isn’t doing the squad any favors.
Oh PLEASE. The routine wasn’t good enough, plain and simple. Despite all of Babble’s falls, they managed to be deducted less points than Adamson, the 7th place finisher – a team that was still 100 points ahead of ADMU at the end of the day.
It’s not really that interesting either that this year’s routine was better than last year’s. That’s kind of how progress works.
Stop being so damn defensive and just take responsibility. No one’s blaming you. Shit happens and there’s always one team that ends up last. Just own up to the mishaps and circumstances and accept the results. Don’t act all high and mighty standing on your “better academic institution” pedestal – which, I might add, this article doesn’t display at all. You just look whiny.
Don’t take the loss so personally. No one expected you to win anyway.
True.
Atenista? Pretty sure it’s ELITISTA.
The article contradicts itself. Does not even provide a clear reason (more like EXCUSE) as to why they landed in 8th place. Was it really due to a recruitment problem? But he also said the run in the morning was perfect, and the flaws were mostly due to the injuries to two of their members during the first 1.5 mins of the actual routine?
I understand this is just the ‘opinion’ of the writer. MY OPINION is – this looks like an opinion of a sore loser.
WHAT A STUPID BITCH. YOU ARE NOT A TRUE ATENEAN MY DEAR. WHAT A STUPID BITCH.
lol so many people got pissed thinking this is an article, it’s a fucking /opinion/ column guys
Well those other people are giving their opinions too.
Lol it’s an opinion column that doesn’t raise any opinions?
Kindly check your facts… UP athletes and cheer dancers are UPCAT passers and they maintain a grade average to stay on the team. Do not put other schools down just so you can feel better about yourself. And do not blame your failure on the 2 members of the squad who got injured during the performance. Ask yourselves why you cannot even surpass UE and DLSU… If you really are good. Writing articles like this just shows you are bitter and sour graping when you don’t even have the reason to do so.
medyo tru tho almost all UP pep squad members were not UPCAT passers like…… friend you can check haha but that’s why they have VAAS bc they’re excellent in sports so that’s not a bad thing
Are you sure that ALL UP Athletes are UPCAT Passers? HAHA hate to brake it to you but i have A LOT of friends who failed the test but they’re there because of VAAS.
Your comment is really ignorant. Members of the UP pep squad are NOT all UPCAT passers, many of them are NOT UPCAT passers. THAT is a fact.
Lol how about YOU check YOUR facts? Not all UP athletes are UPCAT passers. May masabi lang, ah? Your comment shows ignorance – you obviously don’t know what you’re talking about. Fuck off.
I’m sure Babble recruitment goes like this……..
“Hey, you’re good looking! Let’s teach you cheerleading!”
That’s a really ignorant remark. They go through proper recruitment. You take it against them that they’re good looking? You should actually be proud of that! You do realise your comment and others here discourage people from joining? Even from continuing? They are YOUR OWN. They do this FOR YOU. Surely they lack skill, experience, and a lot of other things . But they don’t deserve hateful and uninformed comments such as yours.
Unless you’re actually there when Babble recruits its members, please just shut up and let educated people discuss this issue.
It’s ignorant people like you that are the bane of this world’s existence.
Okay, this post saddens me that this is how they react towards loss. It sounds very ‘hugas-kamay’ and pure sugar coated bitterness. Parang guys, ganito ba yung attitude niyo pag natatalo? It’s so immature, and some of the statements (because I refuse to label these as ‘facts’ being that some aren’t exactly true) are so uncalled for, and these statements just aim to bring the other schools down. Please please ayusin niyo naman ang pagfilter sa opinions na isasalang sa blog na ito.
Faith, Spirit, and Leadership? Congratulations! you guys have all these, or so you claim to do so. Pero what about Humility? Serenity? What happened? MAGIS ba kamo? MAGIS means MORE, pero hindi MORE towards ako! ako! ako! Pano naman yung sila? Silang deserving ng credit? Isip isip, filter filter din minsan please?
Gosh pls. Fight fight blue and white. go lang.
Akala ko satire article. haha
best comment…hahaahaha
Yan pala tinuturo sa ateneo. Hahahahahahahahahahaha lol
Goes to show how delusional the BBB can be. 8th place means you suck, accept it. If you are last for so many years then maybe you are doing something very wrong.
First of all, you have damaged the reputation of The GUIDON’s credibility by using their opinion page as a platform for your excuses not even opinions.
Second, you pride yourself by saying that Ateneo is a better institution? Stated in quotation marks or not, how about exemplifying the values you’ve learned in this institution such as humility or accepting defeat. You had to put down NU and UP with false information just to defend your school. For generations, UP has always been the top university here in the Philippines — and at one point, even in the entire Southeast Asian region, yet they consistently finish in the top three in the CDC. In no way is academics related to your performance in cheerleading, ibang usapan yun.
Next, you blame the uninspired performance of the Blue Babble Battalion because of the injuries of two lifters. Did it not occur to you that performers from other universities were also nursing their own set of injuries during the Cheerdance Competition? One flyer of a university suffered a concussion after falling during a trial performance just days before the competition — yet she still managed to compete without having to give excuses. A lifter in the same team suffered from a hyperextended knee during a tumbling pass. Injuries are normal in the life of an athlete. You don’t have to release an article as an excuse to make up for your shortcomings.
Who are you to say to declare to the world that your team “works the hardest, and has the biggest hearts”?
The teams of other schools have been practicing their routines 5-8 hours a day during the summer, and that’s how they place the top three. On the other hand, Babble only formed their routine barely 3 months before the competition. Your team may have new coaches and equipment, and more support from your school than other universities, but you still have the attitude of a loser and that’s why you keep losing. This article just proves that even more.
Wow. Ang daming haters ng article na to. Sa tingin niyo ba makakabuti sa mga natalo na pinapababa niyo pa yung tiwala nila sa sarili nila sa panglalait niyong yan. Isipin niyo lang. Purket hindi kayo kilala, handang handa kayong sipain pababa ang nakadapa. Ano napapala niyo dun? Tanong lang naman.
Pero hindi ba inaako naman nila yung pagkatalo nila? Sabi naman ng article na lahat ng supporta na kaya ibigay ng school nabigay na, masyado lang talagang malayo ang galing at paghahanda ng ibang schools. Tanggalin na natin yung ibang words na medyo makakasakit pero sa kabuoan, yun lang sinasabi ng article. Natalo sila kasi mahina sila lalo na pag ikumpara sa ibang schools.
Para sakto sa theme. Opo. Opinion ko lang din po ito. Hindi ito fact.
nakakahiya blaming externalities, Ateneans should know better than writing this shameful piece.
Ateneans should also know better than to hate on their own, especially with such insulting and hateful remarks.
No, Ateneans should be APPALLED that this publication let this man’s voice represent them.
Defending blindly for the sake of fraternity is, quite frankly, stupid.
Nakakawala kasi ng credibility pag hinahaluan mo yung pag-amin mo ng pagkatalo mo ng yabang. Second paragraph palang, “better academic institution” na. He’s presupposing the mentality of “How could we possibly lose? We’re better than them!”
When the results are so far afield of what’s being said, it amounts to not much more than whining.
For everyone’s knowledge: Chalk Marks is The GUIDON’s monthly guest column for Ateneo faculty and alumni.
Do you really have to defend your loss? Please, no you don’t.
ATENEO DOESN’T HAVE TO WIN EVERYTHING, EVERYONE.
“How can other schools do better than us when we are arguably a better academic institution?” – Also, this is incredibly concerning for you to say.
Unang una, ang guest opinion piece hindi naman talaga dapat ino-overhaul. How can you edit an opinion piece beyond grammar and form without it coming of as censorship? As someone who has worked for a major media outlet for so long, dapat ding isipin kung ano ba talaga ang opinion piece.
Pangalawa, kudos to guidon for being brave enough to put this issue forward? Although i don’t agree with this piece at all. I am an alumni, how can I send in a counter-piece on this?
Last, sana i-angat natin ang nibel ng diskurso! Oo, excuse lang ang piece na ito pero may sinasabi siya tungkol sa kondisyon ng mga estidyanteng atleta at kung papaano sila inaaalagaan/hindi inaalagan ng pamantasan.
Agree with this. I see people on twitter talking how this is “ghastly” and “egotistical” [which I think is a valid judgment on the piece]. Pero baka pwede nating ibalik sa issue ang usapan at hindi na lang basta basta sabihin na “HOY BAT KAYO NAGPUBLISH NG GANITO?” Kasi ano ba ang function ng news organ? Diba dapat naman talaga silang daan upang buksan ang usapin hinggil sa mga issue na pumapaligid sa atin?
From an outsider perspective, ginagawa ng guidon ang trabaho nila. I would love to hear a rebuttal piece for this, at inaasahan kong dito ko rin yon mababasa.
‘wag lang sana tayong nagpapataw ng panghuhusga sa mga organs na ginagawa lang ang dapat nilang ginagawa. EH KUNG INEDIT NILA MGA COMMENTS NIYO MATUTUWA KAYO? OPINYON DIN ANG MGA YAN DIBA?
But… what’s the issue, exactly? That ADMU fell and landed in last place? That’s what happens when *shit happens*. And everyone gets that. Why the need to post this defensive article that, at the same time, degrades the other universities’ hard work for this competition?
Hello, you may submit opinion pieces to desk@theguidon.com
I’m sorry to say that this article is only worsening your reputation as a team. You published an article that clearly lacks facts, and your claims about the other universities and their programs is slander. I won’t disagree that Blue babble worked hard to present their performance. Unfortunately, that performance was deemed abysmal, hence the ranking.
Also, no matter how you look at it “better educational institute” was a poor choice of words, and quite offensive. I will agree that Ateneo, being one of the most expensive schools in the Philippines, has more developed facilities, but in no way can you claim that it is a better educational institute.
I respect Blue Babble. The things they can do, all their stunts, proves how hard they train. However, you’re article belittles other schools, while also making excuses, and this is what is wrong.
Accept the defeat, learn from it, and just train harder. Does UP make excuses like this in UAAP Basketball? Should any team make excuses? No, acknowledge that the other teams are just better, and acknowledge need to improve, without belittling or slandering names.
This article is more embarrassing than our loss.
Yeah.. The problem is you, Ralph. Pathetic reasoning. You should be replaced.
I don’t get the bitterness of this article.
I mean, nobody expected you to win, not even reach top three.
So, you can get the fuck over it and “recruit more cheer dancers”
Better academic institution?! Ano raw?
The Ateneo Blue Babble Battalion is the UP Men’s Basketball Team of Cheerdance. Every year, a game against them is considered a “sure win” just as your CDC performance is dismissed as an “intermission number”. Yet you don’t see them dishing out excuses in the form of extremely lousy written opinion articles. Do you hear them complaining about how NU, ADMU, DLSU have a stronger recruitment game? Do you hear them saying “damn, we were really good during practice though”? NO. No you don’t. What they do is they train hard, always striving to be better than they were the year before.
If you’re going to keep that ‘victim’ mindset and keep complaining about how you don’t even stand a chance due to lack of recruits, then just opt the fuck out of the competition. Let CADS take your place, at least they can give a show-stopping dance portion of the routine. A member of the pep squad has been going around Facebook saying “cheerleading is hard to learn– gymnastics, dancing, lifts, tosses, and pyramids especially for the members of the BBB who have “no experience” in cheerleading. Well here’s a newsflash: NO TEAM WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH NO EXPERIENCE. And this is EXACTLY why you train.
How you discounted the effort put in by the other teams just shows how arrogant and narrow-minded you are. Most schools will take a quick break then they will start getting to work on NEXT YEAR’S CDC performance. What will you be doing, BBB?
A word of advice, if you won’t train hard enough or dedicate yourselves to your routine, next year LOWER THE DIFFICULTY LEVEL and nail it. Perfect the routine. Despite your Coach’s claims of you working the hardest, you know you didn’t. BBB, you failed your routine. One solid year’s worth of training would’ve given you MORE successful pyramids than what you had shown. One solid year’s worth of training would’ve given you a BETTER dance routine. With one solid year’s worth of training, more people would’ve landed on their feet instead of on their faces during your passes. It really was a pain to watch.
Because TBH, my all-girl high school pep squad can pull of a better routine than what your team showed at this year’s CDC.
Then go to BBB’s training and show them that your hs pep squad is better. Hope it’s not all talk.
You should all be deeply ashamed of yourselves for the comments here. You may disagree with the contents, but do you need to throw in below the belt comments that add so much insult to injury? Are you true Ateneans? Where are your manners, tact and Atenean values? You all sound like uneducated haters who thrive on hating. What happened to supporting your own??? These people do what they do FOR YOU. If you can’t appreciate that, then why not just shut up and show some respect. You choose to take everything out of context and spin it in the most negative way possible. Is that what Ateneans do??? How about some CONSTRUCTIVE and encouraging criticism??? Your comments are an appalling reflection of your hearts and minds.
The comments are not about the Blue Babble Battalion, but about this post, which is so disgustingly defensive with an underhanded aim to bring other schools down just to lift the team up. Why can’t we just accept that the team didn’t do as well as the other schools? Because they really didn’t, I mean, everybody can see that. But does that mean we discredit their efforts or we mock them for their low ranking? No, it means we don’t make excuses and we own up to our shortcomings. That’s what the author should be doing instead of STILL bragging about Ateneo and all its purported greatness instead of being a good sport.
But why do the comments on the article have to be so hateful? The author is one of your own. Is there not a better & more constructive way to criticize the article, without being insulting and just plain mean or rude? It that really the Atenean way?
Also, pls read all the comments. Some are just plainly insulting the BBB, and have nothing to do with how the article was written.
Frankly, it’s a real shame you people took the author’s words in the worst possible way. He was simply answering FAQs. And he did admit the other teams were better. Really, you chose to read it completely the in the most negative light.
I’m sorry, but no. This article isn’t an FAQ. It’s whiny and defensive and irresponsible.
And, in fact, a lot of the comments here are DEFENDING Ateneo and the BBB because this article is a gross misrepresentation of them.
If the article is appalling, so are Ateneans like you for being so righteous. YOU are the true ‘Elitistas’ my friends!
Here’s some unsolicited advice for Coach Ralph:
1. Produce your CDC line up of performers much earlier on.
2. Choreograph the routine at least 6 months before and start practice it for at least 6 months. Given the performers aren’t that skilled, they need more practice.
3. Change your choreographer. The routines for the past couple of years have been lacking pizzaz. Even if the stunts were executed perfectly, the routine itself
would not have been enough. Get someone who can come up with an attractive routine, working with the skills set of the performers.
Don’t lose heart with these ungrateful and misinformed comments here . There are many of us who appreciate your effort. We know your challenges.
Just strategise earlier, have them practice with costumes on several times, do everything earlier, and I’m sure there will be improvement .
Responsible posts please.
I’m from another university and obviously I took offense. This article could’ve been written more objectively and professionally. True, ang bitter ng dating. But I also feel bad for the writer. He’s the BBB program head so malamang the guy’s going to defend his team. He might have gotten carried away lang? It happens. This is a bad article but it doesn’t make all Ateneans bad. I only have respect for Ateneans. Don’t hate too much guys! He’s only human. Kapwa-Atenista niyo inaaway niyo na rin. Let’s keep the fighting within the court hahaha
I am speaking as someone with a dance background who also practiced theater professionally, so I am aware of the pains it takes to make a routine. While I do not discount that Blue Babble Battalion worked hard for the cheerdance competition, you sir, are whiney and sourgraping.
We are in competition with other schools. We win, we lose, we do not enter assuming we are the best. The nature of entering any sport or competition is to PROVE that we are best. We failed that in this year’s cheerdance. A good sportsperson picks him or herself up, learns from his or mistakes, and moves on.
If you feel that you lack support in terms of infrastructure, use your passion for your team to find it.
It’s not always about recruitment, equipment or skilled choreographers. Cheerdance is a discipline. You’re the head, you be resourceful, and stop placing blame on those who beat you and your team because they know how to get their act together.
As an Atenean, I’m thoroughly embarrassed of this article. Excuses excuses. We lost, let’s move on and not whine.
Ok na sana eh… I get your point. It’s just that you have to put other schools down just to make yourself feel better. No wonder Ateneo is seen as elitist. What a shame. The issue is about cheerleading, not academics or whatever. Tbh, based from what i noticed from some of my Atenean friends (im not generalizing), kapag natatalo kayo, you always try to make yourself feel better by saying that “its the school we choose” or something like that. You always go beyond the line.
Ok na sana eh… I get your point. It’s just that you have to put other schools down just to make yourself feel better. No wonder Ateneo is seen as elitist. What a shame. The issue is about cheerleading, not academics or whatever.
University ko ba ‘to ?ganito ba tayo? Sana tanggapin natin yung pagkatalo natin. Napapahiya tayo sa mga taga ibang univ na makakabasa nito. Ganito ba sa guidon? Bias.
“How can other schools do better than us when we are arguably a better academic institution?” We’re just talking about CDC here, right? Just to point out some other matters: basketball, and of course, the UAAP general championship. Mr. Whiner, my man, if time comes you would realize these last two things are more important than cheerdance, I am sure as hell you’ll just melt away in frustration like ice cream under the sun. Praying you’ll have a different perspective in life soon.
I agree that potential recruits not passing the ACET is a drawback, and that other schools allowing those less academically gifted enter their ranks just because they are good athletes tilts the odds in their favor.
My only real gripe against this article is the use of “most optimum”.
This is the very reason why we Ateneans are branded as elitists. Stop making excuses and work harder next time. Don’t bring other universities down. This article sorely lacks humility and the true spirit of sportsmanship. Look at UST, once branded as top- tier CDC performers who recently have not won a title since 2006. They accepted defeat and worked their ass off. Now they’re back at the top.
EXCUSES. The writer never changed. I know this guy and he ruined the great babble band of 2004.
Ah! That’s why the name sounded familiar. Now it makes more sense, ha ha.
Over at the hardcourt side, I trained with BBB around that time and was appalled by how bad, ill-informed the coaching and peer-mentoring was. “When lifting, look at your fellow base, not the flyer.”
I had University of Kentucky-esque hopes for the squad. Take a different route and these variety show schools what real cheerleading is all about. But alas, the BBB’s CDC routines have descended from cute and fun to just plain tacky and camp over the last decade.
*Take a different route and show these variety-show schools what real cheerleading is all about.
We would like to remind everyone to please observe proper decorum in expressing their sentiments on the contents of the guest opinion piece.
We respect your opinions but we do not stand for personal attacks on anyone. Anyone from the Ateneo faculty, staff or alumni groups is enjoined to structure their arguments and submit their opinion supporting or rebutting the claims stated above to desk@theguidon.com
Yours,
Patrick Edward Balisong
Social Media manager
The GUIDON
It is because of mindsets like this that we lose every year. Instead of bringing other institutions down, and writing paragraphs of defending why we shouldn’t have lost, perhaps the program head of Babble who wrote this article should stop and actually think about how we might have actually deserved the results. There is no point in being bitter, because we will never win if we always think we’ll never deserve failure. Failure must be understood and accepted when it comes to us.
I am a former cheerleader from a team that won the WNCAA Championship title a little more than once (I transferred to Ateneo). Frankly speaking, I learned from my coach that nobody really cares about how much you practiced. The judges don’t care if your run was perfect this morning. If two of the members got injured during the performance, who is to blame other than them? What matters is what you present in that one-time-big-time thing which you cannot afford to blow. If you practiced months in advance, you should have mastered how to… well, not blow it. Simple elevators and the flyers cannot even stand up straight? That’s some basic stuff, dude. High school cheerdance competitions have done better lifts.
I know how hard it is to be a cheerleader. I know how hard it is to balance it with academics. Perhaps the other institutions have real gymnast recruits and more benefits than we do, but we should use these as motivations to lift ourselves up. It would be great to show other schools how our cheerleaders are regular students like everybody else but we still manage to perform brilliantly. But just because we are a very distinguished university, it does not mean we deserve everything in the world. I do hope you change your mindset about winning, losing, and what determines where we’ll go between the two.
It is good that the Guidon has an Opinion “Chalk Marks” section for faculty/staff/alumni so that these persons may have space, in print and online, to provide information and let their views be known to the LS (college) community and other persons. Also, having a dedicated section “Chalk Marks” dispenses with the need for the usual “disclaimer” (“views expressed therein are entirely those of the writer [faculty/staff/ alumni]).” Kudos to the Guidon for respecting and upholding the freedom of speech and expression of all persons in, or associated with, the LS (college) community.
I take issue with many of Aligada’s ideas but I respect his right to express his opinion. We now know that Ateneo BBB members are bonafide students who passed the Ateneo College Entrance Test (ACET), are enrolled in (4 or 5 year) college courses, had little or no prior gymnastic training, and do not receive any special benefits from the Ateneo, whereas some or all other UAAP CDC competitors have members who are nominal students who were recruited precisely for their gymnastic ability, and receive compensation or other benefits from their respective schools. So, Aligada posits that the rule on ACET-passers-only somehow renders Ateneo BBB dejado in UAAP CDC, and implies that the ACET-passers-only is a fixed rule. It is not. There are persons who failed the ACET but by an admin miracle were allowed to enroll at the Ateneo. Aligada should not use the “ACET-passers-only” rule as an excuse for failure.
Yes, it’s a fact that not all the members of UP Pep Squad are UPCAT passers.
But you can’t also deny the fact, that once they got in thru VAAS, they live a UP life like any UPCAT passers do. IN OTHER WORDS, NAKIKIPAGSABAYAN SILA AT KAILANGAN NILANG MAKIPAGSABAYAN, DAHIL KUNG HINDI BAKA BYE BYE UP ANG KAHANTUNGAN NILA.
And I dont think UP profs/instructors give them a special treatment.
Check your facts! Wow!
1) UP and recruitment. I’m from the other side of Katipunan and no way is your idea of VAAS accurate. Call it a scholarship program for people with a different kind of intelligence, UP also has an Arts scholarship (for Music and Fine Arts majors). VAAS is a scholarship program for student-athletes. Regardless if they pass the UPCAT (meaning make the UPCAT cut) or not, they need to take a qualifying exam, which includes a basic aptitude test. Almost all of the VAAS scholars took the UPCAT, it just so happened that there are those who did not make it to the University cut-off for students, academically. The choices for courses for those under VAAS are also very minimal, non-quota courses. And once the scholars are enrolled in UP, well that’s it, they are UP students, no if’s no but’s, they need to survive just like any UP student (no special academic treatment). Which is good, because a lot of them actually thrive well, in recent years, some even manage to graduate with Latin honors in Business and Science courses.
Besides, are all your basketball players ACET passers? Are all your Volleyball players ACET passers? Or maybe they took it, but similar to UP and the VAAS, they didn’t make the cut, but were exceptionally good, Ateneo just had to take them in, with all the outstanding perks and privileges.
2) UP Pep and recruitment. UP Pep does not actively recruit gymnasts and dancers, no Palarong Pambansa or national gymnastics team hoarding. In fact, they hold open tryouts, everyone can try out. If the prospective member is not an UPCAT qualifier, there is no promise of admission to UP or of a scholarship or of other perks. There is just a possibility of admission, and even with admission, only a possibility of a scholarship. A lot of the UP Pep members tried out as regular students (passed the UPCAT, enrolled in QUOTA courses and are STFAP Bracket A students). And there are UP Pep members who made it to UP but the scholarship privileges are not what you would really call scholarship privileges.
3) UP Pep and financial support. Unlike Ateneo, where you have the grandest and best facilities for your athletes, student-athletes in UP do not enjoy the same perks. Remember a few years back, UP Pep held a concert just to buy new training mats. And how many UP Pep Squad members need to do their own fundraising just to compete abroad – in countries as close as Japan, Thailand or Taiwan? How many in the original UP Pep Berlin line-up will not be able to join the team in competing this November, because of lack of financial support. And to think that UP Pep is the most popular among the UP Varsity squads. Why don’t you ask your basketball team what perks they receive or your women’s volleyball team? Before Henry Sy and NU started buying players to don their university colors, Ateneo and La Salle were already at it.
Your article is full of BS and hogwash apologies. Suck it up, you failed big time and stop blaming other schools for your failure. Before you start with your Ateneo and academics blah blah, look at your own members and how sorry they have performed and properly compare them with members of other squads. Member of other squads, who despite lack of financial support from their own universities, despite injury and the demanding academics, manage to snag podium finishes.
“How can other schools do better than us when we are arguably a better academic institution?”
Great fallacious reasoning coming from the “better institution”
“What went wrong? Why are we in last place again? How can other schools do better than us when we are arguably a better academic institution?”
EH DI KAYO NA