THE FIVE-month break gave many students in the Loyola Schools (LS) community an opportunity to get a taste of the working life by applying for internships in various companies across the Metro. For the common athlete, though, the long break served as the best time to prepare for upcoming competitions–especially the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).
However, the time and commitment that a sport demands from a student-athlete may cause one to forgo certain experiences and opportunities, such as the chance to focus on one’s studies or participate in student organizations during the academic year. The problem is compounded when the athlete faces the working world, where academic standing and leadership skills remain key elements in measuring the potential of a job applicant.
“Siyempre, hindi mawawala si academic standing (Of course, academic standing will not be forgotten),” says Millet*, a Human Resource apprentice for a prominent consumer goods company. “[Even if it is] common knowledge na we don’t look at grades daw, it still plays a big factor because it defines your standing,” she adds.
Put under these conditions, it becomes problematic for athletes to juggle all of these extracurricular activities while thinking about how one would land a good job after college. It gives rise to the question: Is the athlete life still worth pursuing?
Not impossible
Contrary to popular belief, there are indeed athletes who are not only able to focus on their respective sports, but also able to embrace the entirety of being a student-athlete. These well-rounded members of the Blue and White prove that it is possible to continue excelling in their sport while getting high grades and becoming student leaders in their respective organizations–all of which greatly benefit the résumé.
Joseph Bernard Capinpin (BS MGT ‘15) graduated last March with three minors from the John Gokongwei School of Management: Decision Science, Strategic Human Resource Management, and Enterprise Development. Capinpin also held positions in different organizations such as The GUIDON, Aegis, and the Ateneo Consultants for Organization Development and Empowerment throughout his five years in the LS. In addition to this, he also spearheaded major projects of the LS such as Blue Roast 2014 and OrSem Layag as project head and chairperson, respectively.
Capinpin played track and field for 13 years and even garnered medals in national competitions such as the Palarong Pambansa and the Philippine National Games during his high school and undergraduate years. He continues to play for the Ateneo UAAP track and field team while finishing his Master’s degree in communications.
Although members of the LS community like Capinpin are a rare find, they continue to serve as inspiration to both athletes and non-athletes alike. But more often that not, athletes simply cannot afford to set aside any more of their time to pursue other extra-curricular activities. The pressure of excelling in their own sports while maintaining good grades is already enough of a challenge.
Swimming veteran Axel Ngui was awarded last season’s Athlete of the Year award due to his outstanding performance in the UAAP while successfully making it to the Dean’s List several times. Ngui also serves to be a model for most athletes, as his achievements were fueled by his determination to graduate with honors and his passion for swimming.
“My current goal in swimming is to get faster at my main events, mainly freestyle and backstroke sprint. Hopefully I can still join the next [Southeast Asian] Games in the next years,” says Ngui. “I’m [also] trying to graduate with honors so I am aiming to get higher grades.”
“Real world” demands
Athletes are exposed to values such as collaboration and discipline, which are bound to be useful traits for any graduate heading into the corporate environment. Leadership and academic performance may matter, but the personal experiences of an athlete include both success and failure, and it is how one resolves these conflicts that leaves them in companies’ high regards.
If a student-athlete does not have time for other extracurricular activities outside of their respective sport, Millet suggests that they maximize their given opportunities. “Learn the most out of it in terms of leadership skills and people skills as well while you’re in your team because most athletes are devoted to that,” she says. “We’ll see how your sport made you become who you are today.”
The experience of being an athlete also equips the person with abilities that can be applied to real working experiences. Capinpin describes the way he coped with his job as an intern at Proctor and Gamble: Keeping himself motivated towards the goal, being open to feedback from his mentor, and even being physically fit for work were all similar to what gave him strength as an athlete.
Taking the course of being a professional athlete is an opportunity granted to only a few with extraordinary talent. For most student-athletes, there will always come a time for the varsity life to end and for them to assume other priorities demanded by society.
For Ngui, swimming has definitely become a significant part of his life. However, he knows that there will come a point when he will have to focus on fulfilling his dreams of becoming a doctor instead. “After college, it’s all about med school already,” explains Ngui.
The “real world” does not give athletes the excuse to disregard what they are part of now. “This is why it is important for one to determine what kind of legacy you would want to leave in your sport,” says Capinpin. “This helps us accept that we cannot be varsity athletes forever, but our accomplishment can transcend time. It is part of history.”
Editor’s Note: Name has been changed to protect the interviewee’s identity.