Like most seasoned athletes, Amando Jayona, a Public Administration student and a member of the UP Pep Squad, had not predicted that his supposed time on the court would be taken over by his time training within the four corners of his home. Since the pandemic began, Jayona is only one of the numerous athletes whose athletic training has been jeopardized by the pandemic.
For nearly two years already, UP varsity athletes have shifted to a largely virtual mode of training. But on top of coping with the already arduous setup, they are also grappling with the possibility of not being able to play at all for their remaining years on the team.
While the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) will resume its 84th season on March 26 after a two-year hiatus, only events such as basketball, volleyball, indoor chess, taekwondo poomsae, and cheerdance will be allowed.
But in the case of the UP Pep Squad, while they may be possibly allowed to compete in the UAAP, their actual face-to-face training still has yet to begin. Now, Jayona faces the possibility of another wasted playing year.
Confronting the Pandemic
As UP transitioned to a remote learning setup, almost all sporting events also have to settle for virtual training. Since his event requires certain equipment for workout, Jayona has become resourceful looking for alternatives to avoid being left behind.
As a lifter, he uses a duffel bag and stuffs different items inside to replicate the weight of the team’s flyers. For some time, his barbells were even made from concrete. But as soon as he was able to save money, he purchased his own equipment such as pullout bars to ease his conditioning training.
While the time provided by the lockdown allowed Jayona to hone his skills, it’s still not adequate. Cheerdance, after all, is considered a team sport.
“Hindi pwedeng individual siya, kaya sinusubukan ko lahat ng skills. Ang hindi ko lang sure ay ang pagbubuhat. Nagkikita kami ng mga teammates pero parang out of 10, tatlo lang ang naghahanda,” he said, referring to the face-to-face trainings some of them do every so often.
On top of those struggles, Jayona also believes that virtual training is simply costly, especially for less privileged athletes, and even risky. For one, he said, not everyone has the luxury of having a wide space at home to safely do stunts like handstands and back tuck. In fact, he nearly hit his head on the floor while doing the stunts due to the lack of cheer mats.
“Lakas lang ng loob talaga [kahit nasa semento]. Noong una, nilalagyan ko ng unan [yung sahig]. Noong pangalawa, bahala na. Sa ngayon, di na rin ako gumagamit ng mat,” he said.
It is not only him who finds virtual training a challenge. Fei Lee, a Public Administration student and a member of the UP Taekwondo Varsity Team, also expressed the difficulties that his team currently experiences. Before the pandemic, their training consisted of actual sparring with a partner. Now, their training has been reduced to Zoom calls.
“Sa conditioning training, OK lang namang mag-isa, kaya lang paulit-ulit lang yung ginagawa. Pero siyempre, kapag techniques, dapat by partner at face-to-face,” he said.
During their virtual training, Lee’s coach instructs them to pin the video of their partners to, at least, mimic doing the techniques with them. Ideally, the sparring must be simultaneous, but due to the slow internet connection, they experience lags, which make it even harder to master routines.
The challenges the virtual training posed have led to the decline of some athletes’ morale. Before, athletes could bond with their teammates after the whole season and during special occasions, but the restrictions have now prohibited them from doing so.
Worse, Jayona told the Collegian, there were also players who had left the team. “Parang ang nangyayari, hindi na nila nakikita ang sarili nila na maglaro sa buong college years. Yung iba, ang habol na lang ay maka-graduate,” he said.
Call for Support
In an attempt to support the athletes amid the remote setup, the UP administration gave some of the athletes financial allowance ranging from P12,000 to P18,000 during the first semester. The coaches of the UP Pep Squad, meanwhile, lent players their old gadgets, which they can use during training or for academics.
However, athletes clamor for better support from the university. For Jayona, it is necessary that the provision of gadgets must come from the UP administration. “Magbigay sana sila (UP admin) sa mga teammate ko na kapos talaga sa buhay. Kung di nila kaya magbigay, magbigay [man lang sana] sila ng computer hub para sa mga athlete kung saan gagawa sila ng paper works,” he said.
But even before the pandemic, Lee said that financial support has already been elusive for their team. The situation is much worse, currently, when virtual training demands more financial resources for gadgets, internet connection, and even their own sports equipment.
“Own money ang ginagamit namin [sa] registration fee [for competitions]. Kung may fund pa kami, doon kami kukuha,” Lee said. “Kaya lang, wala na.” In fact, last October 2020, Lee's team had to host a Mobile Legends competition to raise funds for a competition they signed up for.
Given that the UP Pep Squad is also part of the events that will soon resume their games, Jayona calls for the needs of his fellow teammates especially those who need help with the virtual training. “Malakas kumain ng data ang Zoom training at kulang din ang [aming] pambayad sa internet.”
He also believes that if a training bubble will push through in preparation for the UAAP Season 84, accommodation and compliance to health protocols, like regular PCR tests, should be given for free.
What Lies Ahead
Mary Mhel Ruado, Sports, Fitness, and Health committee head of the University Student Council (USC) and member of the UP Women’s Judo Team, expressed disappointment that only some events were allowed to resume. This, despite a survey conducted by the USC which revealed that 88 percent of the varsity athletes who answered now wish to resume face-to-face training and finally play for the UAAP.
“Although may kagustuhan kami bumalik sa F2F, nakalulungkot na iilan lang ang makakasama. Hindi na bago yung ganitong situation, even nung F2F, laging mainstream sports ang nabibigay ng opportunity at nasa kanila yung limelight,” Ruado said.
The UP Men’s Basketball Team has already begun their on-the-ground training last January 10. The UP Women’s Volleyball Team, meanwhile, had just finished their two-week isolation a few weeks after that. UP’s training bubble is being held in Tagaytay City.
In the case of the UP Pep Squad, only 15 to 20 players may join the training bubble set to commence in the coming weeks. There are lots of adjustments to be made, according to Jayona, as the team got used to having 25 to 30 players with them. It was also grueling for them to adjust given that lots of athletes have graduated already and the rookies have yet to be prepared to take over.
Athletes from other sports, meanwhile, have yet to begin their own face-to-face training. Although the UAAP desires for all the sports to resume the games, the athletic association decided to limit the number of sports to caution against COVID-19.
Ruado still hopes that the university and the country recognize that athletes from other sports also have the potential to excel. After all, these bubbles, if managed effectively, are an effective way to minimize the risk of contracting COVID-19, a study has shown.
“Paano naman yung ibang sports? Asan yung opportunity para sa amin? Paano namin malilinang yung kakayahan namin [kung] nasa bahay lang kami. Swertihan lang kung may espasyo sa bahay [dahil] wala kaming equipment dito,” Ruado said.
For Lee, he believes that both UP and the UAAP should reconsider allowing all sporting events to hold face-to-face training sessions and participate in the annual games.
“Sayang yung taon. Sayang yung [chance na] mag-represent sa UP. Sa ibang athletes din, mas mawawalan sila ng motivation at baka mag-quit din. Unfair lang talaga. Bigyan sana ng chance yung ibang sports na makapag-play para sa UP,” he said. ●
