ON JANUARY 30, 2020, the first reported case of COVID-19 in the Philippines was announced. In a matter of weeks, the virus ballooned into a full-fledged pandemic, altering every aspect of normalcy. As of writing, nearly a million COVID-19 cases have been recorded locally, subversively lessening the chances of a normal near-future for the Philippines.
Consequently, the crisis charted a new course for the country’s sporting scene as its activities took a backseat by necessity–leagues shut down, entire seasons were put on halt, and face-to-face training became a rare luxury. With sports indefinitely put on pause, performance metrics were scrapped and wellness checks became the new normal.
For athletes whose lives were defined by competitive calendars, the cancellation of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines’ (UAAP) games drastically impacted the routines they once held dear. With nothing but a dormant timetable ahead of them, Ateneo’s athletes and coaches have been forced to reckon with the prolonged offseason of abandoned goals and ambitions–issues far more alarming than the nuisance of online Zoom training.
Halts and hurdles
The UAAP is oftentimes poised as the one event where the Blue and Lady Eagles are able to fulfill their hopes and dreams—an avenue for them to represent Ateneo. It is here where the fruits of their labor come to life, whether in the form of an elusive UAAP trophy, a broken record, or a personal best. However, due to the ongoing pandemic, the league’s athletes have been left without a tangible goal in sight and a reason to continue training.
“Sometimes it’s harder kung walang katapusan (when there’s no end). Walang katapusan sa (There’s no end for) athletes because there is no tournament. It’s hard for coaches to plan kasi (because) you’re just doing general fitness, and you’re not preparing for a tournament. Ang hirap nung timetable (the timetable is hard),” University Athletics Office (UAO) Director Em Fernandez said.
This was the case for the Ateneo Chess Team and the FAST Ateneo Swimming Team (FAST), whose training attendances subsequently dipped after the cancellation of UAAP Season 82. For both teams, the dormancy of the UAAP has demotivated the athletes whose competitive drive is primarily satisfied by joining tournaments. “Minsan nawawalan na ng gana yung players kasi wala nang season. Minsan yung mga graduating students bumababa yung willingness nila to train (Sometimes the players lose motivation because there’s no season. Sometimes the graduating students’ willingness to train decreases),” Ateneo Chess Program Head Jem Garcia lamented.
Eventually, traces of motivation from the athletes vanished after the official announcement of UAAP Season 83’s cancellation last December 2020. “The seniors started not showing up. Others would follow, asking the same question: ’Why are we still doing this?’ As an athlete, it’s frustrating training for nothing,” Ateneo Swimming Program Director Archie Lim exclaimed.
Shifting norms
In order to reinvigorate FAST’s morale, Lim sought to make team camaraderie his topmost priority. The Program Director addressed the team’s earlier dip in attendance by employing activities that the team could do together like a donation drive for the victims of Typhoon Rolly. Until there is a certainty of the next UAAP season pushing through, Lim’s focus will remain solely on the team’s wellbeing.
“As of now, the team’s performance isn’t exactly the goal. [We’re] looking at small goals, trying to be personal with them, letting them answer a survey per month, just making sure that everyone is okay,” Lim said.
In the same way, Garcia is always on the lookout for online tournaments that the team can participate in to boost their morale. Despite the virtual setup, online training has not been a hindrance for the Chess team as it has been easy for them to mimic their onsite training. Apart from the feasibility of online training and competitions, the athletes’ progress in the sport can also be remotely gauged by the chess ratings a player earns when playing. “Mas dumali kasi online. Parang nandoon ka lang sa classroom. Sa training room namin meron chess board tapos sabay sabay sila nag-aaral dun (In our training room, we have chess boards then we study together),” Garcia explained.
Unravelling paths
Aside from the different teams’ efforts to address their growing pains, the UAO ensured the continuous activity of Ateneo’s sporting programs online.
“Across the nation, most of the sports programs are put on hold. But Ateneo, tinuloy niya (it continued) even from the grade school and high school level. So that’s our advantage. Even with the pandemic, nakita ng University (the University saw) that this is something important also,” Fernandez shared proudly.
At the onset of the pandemic, the College Athletics Office provided all Ateneo teams with premium Zoom accounts to aid them in their online training. To further adjust to the athletes’ struggles with poor internet connection, the individual teams also adjusted their programs by training in smaller groups at a time.
Beyond the University, the UAAP and all its member-universities are working closely with the Commision on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of Health in formulating policies that allow limited face-to-face training for athletes. This will allow teams to train on campus while maintaining zero contact among them.
Furthermore, the UAAP and the member-university presidents are looking into having tournaments implement the bubble set-up wherein the matches are conducted in a more controlled environment. There is also a possibility of having Olympic-style tournaments with shorter tournaments that happen simultaneously in concentrated but highly-regulated venues. In the meantime, the UAAP’s efforts to procure vaccines for its member-universities coincide with the league looking into allowing vaccinated athletes to participate in onsite sporting events.
While the presented solutions benefit the Ateneo sports scene’s resumption, all decisions are ultimately subject to the approval of various governing bodies. “Hopefully, by next school year, matuloy si UAAP (UAAP will resume), but of course that’s pending. [It needs] the university president’s approval. After that the approval of CHED and of course the approval of the [Inter-Agency Taskforce on Emerging Infectious Diseases],” Fernandez said.
The silver lining
Despite the uncertainty of the UAAP’s future, the Ateneo sports community continues to be resilient in the face of the pandemic. From the UAO’s multiple contingency plans to the coaches’ resolve to keep their athletes’ motivation in check, the Blue and White’s spirit is determined to prevail throughout this pandemic turmoil.
