The UP Pep Squad is seeking a return to the top of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) cheerdance competition after a new coaching team was appointed, vowing to conduct training that are safe spaces and a coaching strategy that would bring out the best of the team.
Earlier this year, the former coaching staff of the UP Pep Squad faced numerous accusations of financial mismanagement, and physical and emotional abuse. While the rest of the coaching staff then resigned, the former head coach, Lalaine Pereña, was later appointed chairperson of the physical education department.
In September, four coaches were appointed as the new coaching staff of the UP Pep Squad. With Fae Pascua as the head coach, Zar Semsem as the competition coach, Deo Dela Cruz as the dance coach, and Herbert Gerard Villafranca as the drummers’ coach, one might wonder what we can now expect from the UP Pep Squad under the guidance of the new team.
The new UP Pep Squad coaching team (from left to right): Zar Semsem, Fae Pascua, Deo Dela Cruz, and Herbie Villafranca. (Kathleen Isaac / Philippine Collegian)
The Muli 2022 Pep Rally marked the first performance of the season for the UP Pep Squad at the College of Human Kinetics Football Field Grandstand last September 30. All over social media, videos of their performance showed how they were able to excite the entire Grandstand, which was jam-packed with students and supporters from the entire UP community.
Coaching the Team
Celebrating their one month anniversary in coaching the team, the four coaches shared their experiences so far.
“They have this fire within them that I missed,” said Pascua. “As they had no chance to perform during the pandemic, they had all this pent-up energy, this pent-up drive, which slowly came out.”
“Sa salitang balbal, ‘G na G’ sila,” Dela Cruz quipped.
With a training schedule of 4:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. everyday, the team’s fire and determination is truly undeniable. Starting on the dot, the team could be seen ardently practicing their jumps, flips, and pyramids. In fact, even during this interview, the UP Pep Squad did not miss a beat in each of their jaw-dropping moves, each more daunting than the last.
“It’s nice to work with the kids. All of them are striving for something and really working hard for it. It really has been a good start for the past few months,” Semsem said.
Villafranca also added, “There’s this fire within the team to improve. As they’ve been training online for the past two years, they just have this energy to learn and learn as a team.”
For the past two years, the dancers and the drummers have been training online via Zoom. It is then a different experience to train in-person as cheerdancing is a sport meant to be learned together as a team. With the recent opening of the Grandstand, the team is now able to train together and use more of the university’s facilities.
The UP Pep Squad rehearses their dance routines during a training at the CHK Grandstand on October 27. (Kathleen Isaac / Philippine Collegian)
What They Bring to the Table
All four coaches are alumni of the university and former UP Pep Squad members. Pascua was part of the UAAP Season 77 cheerdance performance, while Semsem was part of the back-to-back win, and even danced the iconic Madonna routine back in 2011.
Dela Cruz meanwhile, has been a dancer for 20 years now and participated in the National Cheerleading Competition in 2005 and 2006. Likewise, Villafranca has been a coach for over 11 years and has been developing drumbeat and routine ever since. He was also the head drummer during the UAAP Season 77 performance.
The UP Pep Squad's performance during the UAAP Season 77. Fae Pascua, who was part of the routine, was appointed head coach of the UP Pep Squad in September.
Now, in what can only be described as their triumphant return to the university as part of the coaching staff, they were able to bring their individual strengths and varied experiences to hone and improve the team.
“I really trained as a coach, and I believe in my coaching principles,” Pascua said. “[After UP,] I learned and trained in cheerleading internationally: in Canada, Singapore, and Malaysia. While my coaching style is uniquely Filipino, I incorporate cheer from different countries.”
Such approaches are vastly in contrast to the old coaching techniques applied to the UP Pep Squad. “Before, the coaches really limited the techniques and moves we did. Now, with the new coaches, they’re open to communicate and work with the team on new moves and techniques,” said Amando Jayona III, a gymnast for the UP Pep Squad.
“As a coach of 15 years, winning is something I’m good at,” Semsem said. “One thing I’ve learned is that communication is key to building a connection with the team, which is really priceless. It’s hard to achieve, but it’s something we can collaboratively work on, to be one as a team, not just as coaches but with the kids.”
Complementing their technical styles, Dela Cruz emphasized the importance of learning how to handle crowds, especially during performances. “The crowd will only react to what you give to them. The performance must be high level, and we’re getting there,” he said.
In addition, the coaching staff is also aided by support and management staff, most of whom are also UP Pep Squad alumni. Being taught and trained by different generations of coaches has been a hope of the new coaches to bring inspiration to the team.
Villafranca also stressed the importance of having a support staff which has been essential in bringing the team together and in ensuring that the team runs smoothly.
All in all, the coaches hope that this new coaching style of being trained by different generations of the UP Pep Squad will contribute to the betterment of the team’s training and will yield positive results.
Safe Training Environment
In the aftermath of the issues that surfaced about the UP Pep Squad earlier this year, the new coaching staff are now ensuring that every member of the team is well taken care of, not just with their physical health, but also with their mental and emotional wellbeing.
“Nandito lang kaming lahat para sa kanila,” Dela Cruz said. “All of them are students with human experiences, and it’s our jobs as coaches to support them along the way.”
The UP Pep Squad demonstrates a pyramid stunt during one of their practices at the CHK Grandstand. (Kathleen Isaac / Philippine Collegian)
“Collaboration and trust,” Villafranca reaffirmed. “We operate on trust, not on fear and not on purely discipline. We’re now creating a psychological safe space, an environment where the kids can excel and push each other up.”
Under the old coaches, members of the UP Pep Squad faced physical and verbal abuse during training. Various alumni of the UP Pep Squad recalled being body shamed, shouted at with obscenities, and physically hit.
“Each of us have individual strengths and weaknesses, and we operate based on how we know each other. In doing so, we built a coaching staff that is now bringing out the best in the team,” Villafranca said.
Playing into their strengths, Villafranca and Dela Cruz have been working closely together to ensure the smooth running of the team’s internal relationships and culture. Semsem and Pascua on the other hand, have been focusing on the team’s technical moves and external relationships. All in all, the entire coaching staff focuses on maximizing the team’s energy in strength and conditioning, as well as gymnastics and dance.
Entering the New Season
This UAAP season marks the first cheerdance competition of the new coaching staff. Scheduled on December 10 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, the UP Pep Squad will be performing last.
“With everything that has been going on, we have been put in last. So really, everyone will be looking at us,” Semsem said. “We’re not aiming that high, but for now, we’re looking forward to showing the entire UAAP a new UP Pep Squad that will show something new.”
For the past few seasons, UP Pep Squad has consistently been in the sixth place. Following the cheerdance competition’s return to the UAAP, certain changes were also implemented, much to the dismay of both the spectators and the schools’ pep squads. Last season, routines were cut from the original six minutes to three minutes, and the number of dancers was also reduced from 25 to 15. The UAAP has not yet released the mechanics for this season’s cheerdance competition.
The UP Pep Squad performs during the UAAP Season 84 cheerdance competition. UP placed sixth during that season, garnering a total score of 582.5. (UAAP Media Bureau)
“The team’s need to perform adds pressure, but it will be exciting to see what we have in store, not just for the competition, but also for the UP community and for all the supporters and backers,” Pascua said.
As COVID-19 rules and regulations have since relaxed, more spectators can watch the UP Pep Squad perform. Still, the entire coaching staff and the pep squad themselves will be tested for COVID-19 before the competition.
The UP Pep Squad is also riding on the momentum of the recent wins of defending champions, the UP Men’s Basketball Team. The cheerdance competition is scheduled around the finals round of the basketball tournaments so the team are expecting jam-packed spectators and supporters on the big day.
“You can see how passionate we are,” said Villafranca. He emphasized that the team is really excited for the season and is excited to see the UP community come together, not just for pep, but also for the other UP teams.
“Just watch. Be ready and just watch,” added Semsem. ●
