WITH SEASON 80 of the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) just around the corner, the Ateneo de Manila University lit the fire of competition and school pride with the annual cheer rally on August 24, Friday at the Blue Eagle Gym.

The rally gave the Ateneo freshmen their first glimpse into the exciting and exhilarating atmosphere of collegiate sports. A barrage of cheer led by the Blue Babble Battalion’s chants echoed inside the gym throughout the event, inspiring a love of the Blue and White with the beat of school spirit.

“It’s really exciting because for the freshmen, this is their first glimpse of team Ateneo,” Blue Eagle Albert Gruta said. “It’s like a ritual, so it’s the best way to start the year [and] the UAAP season.”

Hosted by Hans Braga and Season 79 courtside reporter Denice Dinsay, the rally introduced each varsity team to the freshman crowd, throwing the Blue and Lady Eagles into the spotlight for the coming season. As the first spark to ignite the Atenean spirit in the freshmen batch, the gathering of athletes, students, and fans fostered enthusiasm as a community, serving as a warm welcome to the various varsity teams, as well as showcasing the new faces this season.               

“Nostalgic would be the word to describe it,” Blue Eagle Jomo Filart explained. “It felt like it was only yesterday when I was a rookie embarrassing myself in front of the school. I’ll miss it.”

The annual cheer rally is one of the rare times for all the Ateneo athletes from each sport to come together under one roof. It invites not only the freshmen to support the student-athletes, but for the student-athletes themselves to support each other.

“It is great to see how the school has our backs,” Nathan Rosal of the Track and Field Team said. “It’s a really good way to start the day-to-day grind of training.”

The UAAP Season begins on September 9, Saturday, at the Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay City.