ALONG WITH the increasing number of foreign nationals flocking to Manila to try their hand at collegiate sports, there has also been a growing amount of athletes from all over the Philippines moving to the Metro to compete at the college level. Ateneo has taken this opportunity to give provincial athletes, most notably sportspersons from its sister schools all over the Philippines, a chance to compete in the famed Blue and White of the Ateneo de Manila University.
The process
Athlete recruitment begins with the scouting of prospects by coaches, states University Athletics Office (UAO) Director Emmanuel Fernandez. “If [the coaches] know the talent, they don’t ask if they want to try out, [rather], the first question is ‘Did you take the Ateneo College Entrance Test (ACET)?’” adds Fernandez.
Because the sister institutions of Ateneo de Manila University all serve as test sites for the ACET, with many of their senior high school students taking the entrance exam at these sites, the process of athlete recruitment from these schools is much quicker. These sister schools include Ateneo de Naga University, Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Ateneo de Davao University, Loyola College of Culion, Xavier School, Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu, and Ateneo de Iloilo.
In addition to this, the biannual Jesuit Athletic Meet, a sports tournament held among all nine Philippine Jesuit institutions, serves as a meeting place for all the athletic directors of these different schools to confer. Through this event, the UAO can pinpoint specific athletes who fit the bill for the school, are looking to study in Metro Manila, and can already start making plans and arrangements for their recruitment.
“Of course, we don’t want to impose on our own sister schools, but if they’re going to Metro Manila anyway, daan niyo nalang sa amin,” Fernandez states in reference to the Jesuit Athletic Meet.
(Of course, we don’t want to impose on our own sister schools, but if they’re going to Metro Manila anyway, [might as well] redirect them to us.)
This year, Ateneo de Manila University has made some marquee recruitments from various provinces to bolster the likes of the Women’s Football Team and the Track and Field Team. Hailing from Ateneo’s sister schools in various provinces, these rookie athletes aim to take their chances and prove their abilities in the Blue and White of Ateneo.
Defender from Davao
Despite passing the ACET, Ateneo de Davao product Bea De Luna was already set on joining Katipunan rivals University of the Philippines (UP). Playing football since the first grade, De Luna had always dreamt of studying in Manila.
De Luna’s coaches back in Davao had all recommended the Ateneo de Manila, but it was only when she learnt of the Atenean student-athlete balance that she had a last-minute change of heart to enroll as a Bachelor of Arts major in Psychology in Ateneo this 2018.
“I knew about the culture of the student-athlete [in Ateneo]. They focus on the grades first and then the sport, [so] I want to get the best out of my college experience,” she admits. “I wanted to play [football], and I wanted to study and achieve my goals in life as well. I didn’t just want my life to be about football anymore but also academics.”
Fastest man in Mindanao
Yuhei Go, dubbed the “fastest man in Mindanao” by coaches and friends in region, is one of the key acquisitions of the Ateneo de Manila’s Track and Field team this school year. He hails from Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan in Northern Mindanao where he took his undergraduate studies in BS Psychology. He is currently on his first year of taking a Master’s degree in Education, Major in Guidance and Counseling in the University.
His journey from Cagayan to Manila began in Taipei during the 2017 Summer Universiade. As Go was representing the country, going head-to-head with olympians from across the globe, Norman Macasaet, an Ateneo alumnus, stumbled upon him and helped pave the way for Go to take his talents to the Ateneo de Manila.
Deciding on whether or not to take the leap was not easy, but the Kagayanon ultimately chose to step out of his comfort zone and compete for Ateneo on a collegiate level while he was still at his prime as he believed he could not miss out on the opportunity.
Since moving to Manila, the biggest difference in Yuhei’s life as an athlete has been having a coach. Back home in Cagayan de Oro, Go coached himself—he prescribed his own program, tracked his own progress, and did his own research. As a member of the Ateneo Track and Field Team, Go now has multiple coaches to help him develop and improve as an athlete.
Three months into his stay in Ateneo, he says, “I’m happy that I’m here because Ateneo has one of the best sports programs in the country.” Go hopes to make the most of his time in the Blue and White when he competes in November the 100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100m, and 4x400m relays this UAAP Season 81.
The national record holder
Psychology freshman Carmela Therese Dublin is also one of the significant acquisitions of the Track and Field team this school year. Having attended Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu since she was in nursery, Dublin labels herself as “true blue.” As a university student today, she remains to be a part of the Ateneo community, only this time in Manila.
Ateneo de Manila was initially not in the plan for the rookie after she graduated from senior high school because her heart was set on going to a medical school in Cebu. But with Ateneo looking to take her to Manila to compete for the Blue and White, Dublin could not turn down the opportunity.
“In the end I still decided to go here [to Ateneo de Manila] because the opportunity was there and it’s not everyday you’ll be offered a scholarship by Ateneo [de Manila University], one of the most prestigious and recognized schools here [in the country].”
Dublin’s passion for running stems all the way back since she was in grade four. In her junior year in high school, she was able to break a 20-year-old national record for the Milo Nationals in the 200m dash. However, outside of the medals and awards, one of the biggest achievements she holds dear to her was when she was named team captain of her high school track and field team from eighth grade to twelfth grade.
A few months into her new environment, Dublin says she is still adjusting to the intensity of the student-athlete life in the University. While she faces a number of challenges such as her rigorous weight and track training sessions that take up most of her time, Dublin remains enthusiastic. The rookie trackster believes she has made great strides in terms of her overall strength and development as an athlete and will only get stronger as she continues to train.
The bright future of the Blue and White
With Ateneo de Manila University expanding its scouting network to better equip their many sports teams to challenge for honors in the increasingly competitive collegiate tournaments, the established links between Ateneo and its sister schools will prove vital to the successful recruitment of standout athletes from all across the country.
Having already represented the Blue and White in their younger years, it is no surprise that these rising stars from across the country look forward to pulling on the same colors for Ateneo de Manila University as well. In the coming years, we may see more and more student-athletes hailing from the different Ateneo sister schools representing the Blue Eagles for a community that will bleed blue to support their brothers and sisters.
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