Top 5 Most Enrolled PE Classes

By: Deanne April M. Quiban

            Have you ever experienced that epic moment when you fall in line for just a PE yet you were like buying a ticket at the box office? What's even worse is that you have to forget your hunger and starve to death for 4-6 hours in waiting, because if you fall out of the line and prioritize your hunger, you would have to start to fall in line again at the end. Yes, truth should be told, this is how tragic and dreadful the process in getting a PE subject. 

            On the other hand, what's good in enrolling a PE is that students have the free will and privilege on to what PE to take up. They choose PE courses depending on their preference and other factors which are beyond student's control, like for example is availability of slots. Some choose PE which help builds and maintains healthy muscles, bones, and joints. Some go for PE which develops better balance, muscle tone, and strength. Others choose PE which they think is fun and a lot less hassle compared to other PE courses.

            Below are the five most enrolled PE classes here at Diliman and the reasons why these PE courses topped the list. Let's see what made students line up and sacrifice their hunger just to get into this PE classes.

            How relaxing is it for a PE to just watch and go along with the cheers and jeers of the wild-and-woolly crowd? No wonder why Cheerleading lands on our no. 5 spot. Students who had taken this PE course said it was fun to be in a Cheerleading class. It isn't only because it's less hassle compared to other PEs, but you will also feel sense of pride and loyalty to our school as you go to the stadium and cheer for the UP Fighting Maroons during UAAP games. And since you will be watching UAAP games, you have to buy your own tickets, making it a burden on the pockets of students. Another usual problem with this PE course is the possibility of conflict between your current class and game schedule. To be able to make sure you pass this PE, you just have to keep your attendance card perfect and one PE down.

            What makes Line Dance no. 4 on our list is that everybody's welcome in this PE. Line dance, for simplicity, is defined as "dancing in line". Moreover, it is a choreographed dance with a repeated sequence of steps performed by groups of people in lines. This PE doesn't require students special skills or any dance background. Another reason why students enroll in this PE is that it is minimal in cost, you may just have to purchase dancing shoes.

            In the middle spot comes Running for fitness. Running provides a great cardiovascular workout and strengthens and tones your muscles. Just like in Line dance, it is also minimal in cost for you will only be using a pair of rubber shoes or sneakers which are practically for any sport. Students who want to boost their stamina level enroll in this PE.

"Why still take it if you're already doing it every day in your life?" But this argument seems invalid as to why Walking for fitness comes second on our list. Although this PE seems to be just basically walking, this PE should not be underestimated. Every session, your stamina level will be tested. Walking for fitness is not just a straight-up walking. There are appropriate postures and techniques, somewhere between brisk walking and jogging. Students go for this PE because walking is tagged as one of the easiest and cheapest ways to exercise.

       

On top of our list is Camping. It is an outdoor recreational activity.  This PE course aims students to have a basic understanding on traveling outside under seasonal weather conditions, proper hydration for outdoor recreation, and more. Students will also learn on how to give First aid for minor injuries such as blisters, burns and sprains. Students who prefer extreme sports and outdoor PE go for this PE course.

            Basic Physical Education is a prerequisite for graduation. Consequently, a regular student must complete the four required PE 2 depending on his choice. Upon deciding on what PE to take up, he must be first looking at his prospective schedule. He has to make sure that there is no conflict between his class schedule and his PE class. Another is where his interest lies. Availability of slots is also an important factor. The student is expected to take a PE class which has not yet been filled. Lastly, one's physical demand can also affect student's choice. Some students prefer heavy PE courses, those who really want to work their body out while some would go for those PE courses that demand less of your time and energy.

Move, Groove, UP!

       Do you feel a connection to the music and the beats? Do you feel the need to bust a move? Well, dancing is your true calling! We have listed down the top four best-known performing groups in the campus and the information on how you can join them.

        Cheerleading is a physical activity based on organized routines which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate in competitions. First on the list is the UP Varsity Pep Squad, the seven UAAP Cheer dance Championship titleholder. Be part of the ka-diliman and if you have the basics in dancing and gymnastics, Varsity Athletic Admission System (VAAS) Application usually starts every summer and for non-VAAS, it takes place during summer to June. The squad may not get the same privileges (like allowance) like of those other varsities they still have the bragging rights being the University’s pride. Application usually lasts for 2 days at the Aldaba Hall’s Dance Area (Backstage of the UP Theatre). They have also competed in the Cheerleading World Championship for the first time last year (2011). They host an annual event called Elevate: Lift One Another Up, a dance concert showcasing the squad’s talents and is much of a thanksgiving for the supporters of the squad.

            Are you ready to krump, hussle, head stand or break dance? Join the UP Street Dance Club! Street Dance is any of various dances influenced by the rhythms and techniques of funk and hip-hop music. Street dance is a lot different from cheerleading, they may do stunts like tossing and back flips but they are more into the swag and their moves aren’t as sharp as cheerleading. Application in UP SDC is 3 days long and takes place at the UP Gym. Applicants get oriented for two days and on the 3^rd day, they perform their audition dances. Those who pass the audition get to train for a year as applicants. Not everyone could pass since they can’t accommodate too many newbies. They joined and nailed some of the country’s top street dancing competitions like the UAAP Street Dance Competition and the Skechers Street Dance Battle. They also host annual street dance campus events like Chozenground, every August, and Street Fuzion, which takes place every March.

Third on the list is the UP Varsity Filipiniana, a folk dance and jazz oriented performing group in UP. Folk Dance is any of various traditional rustic dances often originating from festivals or rituals. Their execution is dominated by an inherited tradition rather than by innovation. Auditions runs for 4 days wherein applicants must perform a Jazz and Folk dance. They have competed in the NCCA Folk Dance Category. One of the members said that what they do is fun and challenging yet they’re serious and strict regarding dances and that they are more professional than those typical high school dance Group.     

Last but not the least on our list is the UP Dance Sport Society, the Ballroom oriented dance group. Ballroom dance refers to a set of partner dances, which are enjoyed both socially and competitively around the world.  Because of its performance and entertainment aspects, ballroom dance is also widely enjoyed on stage, film, and television. Application takes place at the UP Gym. They have competed in the competitions like the Philippine Starball and Sabah Dance sport Competition.

At the end of the day nobody cares if you can’t dance well. Just get up and dance, the truest expression of a people is in its dance and in its music.  Bodies never lie.

Themes of the UP Pep Squad

By: Paredes, Patricia Mae B.

The UP Pep Squad (formed in 1998) is the defending champion of the annual UAAP Cheerdance Competition held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. For the last five years, UP Pep has dominated the cheerleading contest four times, taking home the cash prize, the trophy and the glory for the university.

Every year, this competitive squad comes up with a unique theme. For them, it is the hardest part in making their routines. The goal is to “wow” their audience by showcasing something new and different every time. They incorporate these themes into their outfits, hairstyles, beats, stunts and dances. From 2007 to 2011, they did rock, tribal, school spirit, fiesta and Madonna-inspired themes, respectively.

In 2007, they tried rock because according to Gonzales, the year’s team captain, “We wanted something unique. Rock is something gloomy.” They aimed to turn this low-spirited concept into a happy and lively one. They used up-beat music with sounds like that of an electric guitar. Clad in a maroon and black outfit, with black pompoms, they amazed the crowd with a set of full-ups in the mounting of their pyramids, long full-twist tosses and tumbling sequences. At the end, they had a banner “UP Rocks!” written in bold print.

            In the tribal-inspired routine (2008), they had tribal warrior poses and dances accompanied by a medley of sugod and tribal beats. Dressed in ethnic-themed outfits with green and maroon swirls, with boys in Mohawks and girls in pixie haircuts, they focused on the concept of fire and war. The story of the routine was about a tribe getting ready for a battle. With their imaginary weapons, notice their smooth transitions and sharp execution of the pointing skill. They had a full-impact ending, a man imitating and representing the Oblation and a banner saying “Tribu, Sugod!”

            In their school spirit theme (2009), the presence of a carton-made UP ikot jeep entertained the crowd. The squad was dancing to the song State University while the ikot jeep was parading. Other songs played were the UP Centennial song, UP Ang Galing Mo and Sugarfree’s Hari ng Sablay, while featuring the famous sablay of the university. They showcased students’ day-to-day life in the campus, as the dancers wore white knee-high socks to represent the typical image of a student, along with their green and maroon (official colors of UP) outfit. The supporters were shouting “Iskolar ng Bayan” accompanied by the rally beat.  

UP is known for performing Filipino heritage themes. In their fiesta theme (2010), they focused on nationalism, featuring take-offs from the country’s famous festivals like the Panagbenga, Higantes, Ati-Atihan and MassKara Festival. Coach Perena, the squad’s coach, was a former Filipiniana dancer who believed it was time to “depict a glimmer of hope” to everyone. With this idea, she suggested the fiesta motif where she included Kapayapaan (Peace) as one of the songs to be used, along with the hala-bira and fiesta beats. A lot got pepped up with the smiling dancers, dressed in colorful banderitas-inspired outfits and sunflower-like pompoms, that performed a routine with precised timing and clean tosses.

In 2011, the theme was the Queen of Pop, Madonna. According to Bautista, the year’s co-captain, “She is known to reinvent herself and the team can identify with her.” From Filipino themes, they transitioned to a foreign one to show how flexible their team can be. Madonna is an inspiration to many, so they aimed to inspire and at the same time to dazzle everyone. They opened with the song Material Girl followed by Like a Virgin and Four Minutes. Along with the vogue beat of the Pep drummers were the UP cheers that have lyrics from her songs. All the members of the team had their hair bleached blonde to match with their black outfits. They were literally shining.

All the themes of UP Pep are unique and original. Every year (since 2007), the female cheerdancers have been cutting their hair short. This has remained a trademark for UP Pep girls already. In most of the years, they are celebrating the Filipino and state university culture in their performances. Oftentimes, they play OPM soundtracks and have cheers and chants in Filipino. Unbelievably, there is always hype and a high number of attendees during this annual event. The loud cheers coming from the exuberant UP crowd boost the dancers’ energy. Every year is a challenge for UP Pep as they level-up exhibitions, tosses, drum beats and dances to stun their avid supporters. They continue to surprise the audience with new pyramids and stunts that are consistently performed well. Lastly, the presence of the Oblation and the trademark cheer “U-nibersidad ng Pilipinas!” never gets old.

This year they aim to defy a new trend. They still keep the theme a mystery but they already started training for the upcoming competition. For the other universities, execution, synchronization and a difficult routine are their basis to win. For the UP Pep Squad, creativity and personality, among others are more important. This is what makes UP Pep stand out, they dare to be different. They sure are back to fight for a 3-peat victory.

The Rise of Floorball

By: Paredes, Patricia Mae B.

Try a new sport. There’s always basketball, baseball, football and other popular sports. Why not try something new? Floorball.  

This game was invented four decades ago in Gothenburg, Sweden. It began as pastime at schools that developed into a sport, in the span of a decade. It is a form of hockey that is played indoors. Players use a meter high, lightweight stick to hit small, hollow plastic balls with cutouts, into the goal. Each team consists of 6 players, 5 field players and a goalkeeper. The rule to remember is to use the blade of the stick below knee level when hitting the ball and to avoid hitting the stick and legs of the opponents. Floorball promotes safety and helps improve a person’s eye-hand coordination. Just like any other sports, the team that scores the most goal in this game wins.

Saldio Amador, a skilled player of the UP Floorball Club, has been playing floorball for almost two years now and still expresses his excitement like it’s the first time he learned about the sport. Not a piece of cake, Amador says, “This cool sport seems easy to play but it’s challenging.” But, it can be played by people of all ages. “It's enjoyable to play it, especially when you see the other players improving,” he added. Luis Manila, a PE professor, member of the UP Floorball Club and one of the top scorers of Los Toros (a floorball team), described the sport as “Fun! Ang saya, fast-paced eh!”

The sport reached UP as an experiment. It was first offered as a PE class in 2010, introduced by Coach Ralph Ramos, the Secretary-General of Floorball Philippines. He also became the instructor and from then on, the sport became a regular offering in PE. Stan Ejera, a student who had been part of the Floorball PE said, “I find it very addictive and enticing! One of those sports you make time for.”

The UP Floorball Club (UPFC) is trying to increase awareness of the sport by offering their very first summer clinic at the CHK gym. This is held every Tuesday and Thursday from 11:00am-1:00pm. They teach the basics, drills, effective game-play strategies and practice games. They are also already starting to entertain applicants for their club. For those interested in joining or to just know more about their latest news and updates, visit UPFC’s official website: http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/universityofthephilippinesfloorballclub

The sport already received recognition from the Olympic Committee. The International Floorball Federation (IFF) hopes that this acknowledgement paves way for the sport to enter and be part of the 2020 Summer Olympics, a major international sport event. Now, the game plan is to try this new, safe and exciting sport. Floorballer, game on!

Glimpse on How a Track and Field Athlete Runs His Life

By: Deanne April M. Quiban

“Noong highschool ako, basketball player ako. Mahilig ako magpush up, tapos nagbubuhat na ako, kasabayan ko mga seniors ko mag-buhat, kung ano ang weight na binubuhat nila, yun din ang bubuhatin ko,” said Aganon, team captain of UP Track and Field Team, starting to converse about how he started as an athlete. Gabz Aganon, 20, is an incoming senior student, taking up a degree in Sport Science at UP Diliman.

When he was in 4^th year high school, his skills in throwing events began to improve through baseball pass. It is used when you have a wide open player far down the court and the passer throws the ball with one hand. “May coach ako sa basketball na thrower ng UP dati,” he continues, “so, nakitaan niya ako ng potential sa  throwing dahil malakas ako bumato ng baseball pass during laro.” He was chosen then to represent his school, Lourdes School of Mandaluyong, to the Private Schools Athletic Development Association (PRADA) in Track and Field competition. Amazingly, he brought home the bacon. In addition, he was also selected to be part of the Mandaluyong team during the NCR meet and won the bronze medal.

When it was time for college, he had a big chance of making it to the UP System so he had undergone try outs in Track and Field at Diliman. Because of his exceptional performance in sports during his high school days, there was less need for him to pass through the eye of a needle. His coaches discovered his speed, so they trained him in running events and he became a decathlete later on, who plays combined events in athletics consisting of ten track and field events.

If you’re into a sport, you really must have an overall conditioning so you can perform on a consistent basis. So when I asked him about his diet plan, he shared, “May times na kain lang ako ng kain dahil bawal magkasakit at humina.” Aganon continues, “tapos may multivitamins ako tsaka vitamin C para iwas sa sakit at natutulog ng maaga, mga 9pm dapat nakahiga na.”

It’s also a normal thing when an athlete who excels in sport often fails to give his studies its due attention. To my surprise, he never had any difficulty with this matter as he said,“Di naman ako nahihirapan, dahil di pa naman ako bumabagsak. Madiskarte lang talaga dapat.” He sees to it that he does not get bogged down by the demands of his athletic life. He makes sure that he is a student first, then an athlete second.“Pero kung feel ko kailangan ko mag-pahinga, di ako mag-aaral dahil wala naman akong maabsorb sa pinag-aaralan ko,” he unhesitantly admitted.

He also revealed that there was a year when he had almost lost his appetite for playing due to idleness of some of his teammates. “Pero may mga rookies kami dati na magsosophomore na sobrang sipag na tipong mahihiya ka kung tinamad ka,” he further confessed.

            “Track and Field ay parang basic of all sports. Here, every athlete will learn the basic fundamentals such as motor skills and at the same time, it is a technical sport which is hard so kailangan talaga ng determinasyon at disiplina,” his words when being asked about his own description of his sport. And when I finally asked him what makes him fall in love with his sport all over again, “Dahil solid ang bonding naming mga magti-teammates ngayon at dahil sa masaya ako sa training ko, parang di ako napapagod sa aking ginagawa araw-araw, parang palaging bago,” he remarks.

School Spirit Unleashed

By: John Paul Diciembre

From the most complicated way like cheerleaders dancing to drum beats or canned music to the simplest one like students shouting and cheering their school pride. School Spirit is not just about how the audience or the supporters boost the team, but it is about how both of them work together in their own ways to grasp the aimed victory in any game event. We got a chance to interview a former member of the UPIS Track and Field team, which are in their current 3-peat championship, Kevin Rodgers, on how the crowd, fans, and supporters’ cheer helped him and his team sprint their way to the finish line first. 

“It is an advantage that there are people who cheer for you, because it boosts the morale.” Says Kevin on what is the advantage of the crowd’s presence in their competitions. On the other hands, he says that it is also a disadvantage since they get anxious because of the expectations of the crowd. “You have to please them, so it's kind of a big pressure especially in really big games.” Kevin exclaims. 

After shortly discussing the advantage and disadvantage of cheering crowds we talked about his opinion on how he feel towards other game events which are very much supported by students even though they don’t actually much, like basketball. He told us that he is happy indeed that the crowd totally supports the University’s athletes. “The problem is that the teams which usually win were the ones who lack support.” He says with a little disappointment in his face. He easily changed his mood then adds that he’s happy though, that he could see the enthusiasm of the supporters with the sport. There are 3 types of people who cheers in a game. Primary is the pep squad. Second are the person whom the player know, they could be a family member, friend, classmate, etc. And Lastly, the enthusiasts. 

As we go deeper in our conversation, I asked him of what other form or way of support could someone give to them. “Equipment”. As we all know, UP lacks sports equipment and has poor facilities for the sports programs. Kevin believes that through this kind of support, it will help them, the varsities, to improve more. He cited some of the facilities and equipment around the University which he believes need this kind of support. “The untidy pool, it is where our champion swimmers train once to twice a day. I know they got used to it, but still, it should be well managed to prevent them from sickness.” He explains his concerns on this since he, as an athlete, values their health and wellness very much. Before we ended our interview with him we asked if he know their supporters, or fans very well. “We don’t know all of them unless we invited them over or when we have mutual friends.” 

At the end of the day, school spirit shown in sports is not just about the excellence of the players but it is also about how the athletes, as the representatives, join hand-in-hand with the study body, fans, family and friends to unleash the hidden strength of the true school spirit.

From Flab to Fab

By: Costales, Nil Patrick S.

It was a life changing day for Laurence Bautista, “I didn’t expect that I would get into the squad because I was very thin and I have a big tummy.” says Bautista. 

As a student from Manila Science High school Bautista spend most of his time studying and is not into sports. After he graduated high school he entered the University of the Philippines and decided to join the squad. “I was scared, because all of them are big guys”.

 But for him it is a challenge that he must endure. Bautista does extra workouts to enhance his strength. He reads Men’s Health magazine, “I follow the diet that the article in the magazine says.” He started drinking Whey, a protein - rich drink that can increase your muscle growth. He eats a lot after training because he says that there is a one hour open window for our body after a long strenuous activity, that the food you eat turns into muscle or energy, it does not turn into fat. Doing the extra work outside training enables him to lift bigger flyers and He was able to execute more difficult stunts that he can’t do before.

He was able to compete with the team, in the recently UAAP cheer dance competition where the team defended their title which surprised everyone with their Madonna-inspired routine. “Our goal is to reach as much people as we can. Madonna is so popular and we know that with our routine, we inspired a lot of people," added Bautista.

It does not end there; He was also in Hong Kong and they were able to win the third place in Cheer - Mixed category (6th Cheerleading World Championship 2011). “We are all very grateful for everything that we achieved in 2011," said UP Pep Squad co-captain Laurence Bautista.

Indeed this year was a good one for Laurence; this is the first time that the team won three medals in one year (Philippine National Games, UAAP Cheer dance Competition, and Cheerleading World Championships) "It is a great privilege and honor to lead the team in bringing pride not only to our University but also to the whole country," shared Bautista, who, unlike his teammates, joined the squad without any cheerleading background. "The country can expect the best from the UP Pep Squad," he added.

Who would believe that He would be this excellent, and now He was able to become one of the team captains and lead the team to compete against the best teams around