A SEA of Blue and White thrummed to life at the Loyola Schools Covered Courts yesterday evening as the University held its annual cheer rally to welcome another year of athletic excellence.

To set the atmosphere, Vice President for Higher Education (VPHE) Maria Luz C. Vilches, PhD delivers an inspiring message for the Ateneo community to continue championing camaraderie. Extending this enthusiasm to the attending community were Allison Co and then-Ateneo courtside reporter Julia Vargas, who energized the audience through their vibrant presence on the stage.

Photo by Daryl D. Sy

Charged on by Sponge Cola and one of their most iconic songs Puso, every Ateneo sports team paraded into the courts with their reanimated anticipation of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines’s (UAAP) 86th Season. The student-athletes and student-managers warmly displayed their school spirit by showcasing their team-specific mini-performances.

Photo by Naomi Soriano

Following the teams’ parade, the Blue Babble Battalion reinvigorated the audience as they led the crowd in chanting its school cheers: Fabilioh, Halikinu, Rhumba Yell, Three Fights, and Blue Eagle Spelling. Roaring with excitement and love for sports, everyone cheered with unified Atenean pride as they lived out the school’s One Big Fight.

As the event drew to a close, University President Roberto “Bobby” Yap, SJ reminded Ateneo’s athletic community of the intricate interplay of humility and skill in pursuing greatness in their respective sports.

Photo by Naomi Soriano

The season will kick off this weekend with both the Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams facing the National University Bulldogs at the Mall of Asia Arena and the University of Santo Tomas Quadricentennial Pavilion respectively.