For College, Go Ateneo! (Part I)

Every time I hear about top high school recruits fussing over which college to play for (it is a sad reality that the question is always "Which college will Athlete A play for?" instead of "Which college will Athlete A study in?") I am always reminded of Spike Lee's "He Got Game". If you watched the film, try to remember the scene where Jesus Shuttlesworth (played by a surprisingly commendable Ray Allen) is told that the decision of which college to play for is the "most important decision of his life" or something like that. I never really experienced such a thing but I can understand where the recruiters are coming from. At least, I think I do. 

I would like to believe that despite their obvious intentions of having an extremely talented basketball player join their ranks, there exists this genuine compassion for Shuttlesworth's growth outside the basketball court. I would like to think that they are selling the education Shuttlesworth will have access to in as much as the possible contributions he can give to their basketball program. Of course, you can always watch the movie to see if you feel the same way. My point is that recruiters have to--and need to--emphasize the type of education and school culture their recruits will have access to and experience if he or she pledges to attend their alma mater. 

Whether he likes it or not, college will most likely be the last four or five years a swimmer has before hanging up his trunks. Being a professional swimmer in the Philippines is not a realistic career option for obvious reasons, the most compelling being the lack of support from governing bodies and swimming's lack of following in the country. That said, collegiate swimmers cannot simply float around in college since the lucrative life of a professional athlete is not waiting in the wings. 

In light of this reality check, here are a few reasons why high school seniors--both top recruits and average swimmers alike--should study in the Ateneo Loyola Schools.

The Vitruvian Man

1. Culture Curriculum.

A few weeks ago, my family and I watched Rivalry: The Musical. The running gag of the entire play was that Ateneans always use flowery and highfaluting words whereas La Sallians give it straight to the point. "What's the point of quoting Shakespeare when you can give it straight?" quips the La Sallian protagonist. As funny as that joke is, the question is valid. 

There is no denying that in the Ateneo, you will have more units of core subjects--which are mostly liberal arts--than major subjects. It is enough to drive one insane, truth be told.

Why do we have to take the basic subjects of English, Literature, Filipino and Natural Sciences in our freshman year when our friends in other schools are immediately taking their majors? Why do we take Sociology and Anthropology? Why do we have to study psychological disorders like Paranoia, Schizophrenia and Anti-Social behavior in Psychology 101? Why do we have to suffer through the endless readings and papers of our 9 units of History? What use will my 12 units of Philosophy and 12 units of Theology be if my career goal is to build my own company and be a millionaire by 30? And what the hell do these core subjects have to do with my swimming? And why, oh, why must I suffer through the dreaded Theology 131 orals with Fr. Dacanay? I must be crazy!

The answer is simple, young sirs and madams. To quote my high school Art Appreciation teacher, "We study the arts to have culture." Culture, young ones. That is what the Ateneo Loyola Schools is uniquely offering--the opportunity and venue to have a well-balanced character hinged upon the appreciation of the liberal arts which will compliment your mastery of the specialized disciplines your majors entail.

An Ateneo education will train you to see beauty in its purest form, in every form. 

If you put in the work and just put to heart all the poems, readings and verses, you will surprisingly find a lot of connections with what you are doing in your majors. 

Being a business major I was really interested on how Sun Tzu's Art of War, however controversial, was very much applicable in business. When Shakespeare was asking himself if he should "...compare thee to a summer's day?" I never realized that the wonder this sonnet was emoting can also mean the awe that washes over you when you successful pitch a campaign to a very jaded panel in a marketing defense. When Descartes said that, "I think therefore, I am" I took it as a reminder to carefully consider things first before making a crucial business decision in our thesis project instead of solely going by my gut with guns blazing. 

My point is this. An Ateneo education will give you a chance to grow as a person thanks to the holistic approach the curriculum is founded on. That is the value-added; that is what makes an Ateneo education unique. 

While the running joke in Rivalry holds true--that an Atenean will quote Shakespeare and a La Sallian will give it to you straight--my rebut is this.

Anyone can be blunt; it's very easy to do. But to precisely interpret and quote the likes Shakespeare, Marlowe, Henley and Whitman?

It takes culture to pull that off.  

Excellence is Magis; doing ordinary things extraordinarily

2. Excellence is a must.
Inasmuch as it is their ideal, excellence is not exclusively Jesuit. I am sure that this trait is espoused in every college in the world, not just in the country. But in the Ateneo, excellence is demanded not just in academics, but in every facet of one's life.

But what is excellence to begin with? How can one give a sound definition of a word which seems easy to understand but very difficult to explain. For the purposes of this post, I'll define excellence by introducing the Jesuit ideal.

Excellence is Magis; it entails one to do more than what is necessary by doing ordinary things in extraordinary ways. It means going over and beyond the normal. Simply put, excellence means doing more. 


Like in most schools, it is easy to just go with the motions in the Loyola Schools. With more than 3000 students roaming the campus, the temptation to keep one's head down and simple get by can be overwhelming at times. However, as much as you will want to sail along, you will find that you just can't. When everyone around you is working tooth-and-nail to maximize their potential--whether it be academic, athletic or extracurricular--that drive for excellence will eventually rub off you.

You will see your classmates toiling without promise of reward and you will ask yourself how they can do that. You will then challenge yourself to live up to the inspiration your classmates have given you to be excellent in everything that you do.

In the Ateneo, excellence is a must. No, wait, let me rephrase that.

In the Ateneo, striving to achieve excellence--not necessarily being excellent in everything and anything--is must. After all, the path you tread and steps you take to achieve excellence is what the Ateneo is keen on inasmuch as it values on the honors you bring.  




...to be continued


Take your Mark!

    

Comeback Update: Thorpe Bombs

By placing 21st and 12th in the 100 and 200 meters freestyle respectively, Ian Thorpe's campaign for an Olympic berth has officially ended. I cannot believe that I am going to say this but it is best to take reality as it is. 

We will not see the legendary Thorpedo in the London Games compete against swimmers who have idolized him growing up. 

There will be no Australian relay where Thorpe will either lead or anchor the team to victory.

There won't be a Phelps-Thorpe Showdown Part II in the 200 freestyle.   

At least, not this year anyway.

While Thorpe has expressed disappointment in failing to earn a spot on the Australian Olympic Team, he does, however, insist that his second stint in professional swimming is not yet over. The swimming legend is focused on making the the Rio de Janeiro Olympic team in 2016. But before that, he is eyeing a spot to compete in the 2013 Barcelona World Championships and the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. 

Even though you did not make the Olympic team, you deserve a warm congratulations for your efforts, Mr. Thorpe. Getting yourself out of retirement and preparing for an Olympic bid with less than a year of training shows just how much guts you have. That alone makes you really a legend. Congratulations!

Take your mark!

Merman on Dry Land: My Ateneo Aquathlon Experience

Ateneo Aquathlon Poster ft.  Kim Uy and David Santos

I have always been fascinated by multi-sport events. Whether it is an Aquathlon, Duathlon or Triathlon, I cannot help be amazed with how these events really test the limits of both the body and the mind. For this reason among others, I hold endurance and multi-sport athletes at a very high esteem; their willingness and relentless attitude to finish these grueling races as fast as they possibly can is a testament of the indomitable spirit of man. 

Setting the Stage

Last Sunday, March 4, I participated in the Ateneo Aquathlon organized by my former team the Fast Ateneo Blue Tankers or FAST (yeah, I know what you're thinking but that is what the team is called). After helping plan and organize this event ever since I was in high school, I decided to join the race to support my former teammates as well as to see if I can still hack it. But of course, I had a big problem to worry about.

The swimming was not the problem. I am a swimmer after all; regardless of the Classic's 600 meters or the Lite's 400 meters, I was confident that I would end the swim as one of the top finishers. Besides, the Loyola School's swimming pool is my home court, so to speak.

My problem was the running. 

As cavalier as I am with sports, I was under no delusion that the 5 kilometer run of the Aquathlon Classic was a manageable distance. Running, after all, has never been my strongest suit even when I was still a competitive swimmer. Taking that into consideration, I signed up for the Aquathlon Lite, the shortened version of the Classic which is specifically designed for beginners and newbies. Though the Lite's 3 kilometer run is still quite long for my standards, I figured that it was a lot easier to complete than the Classic's 5 kilometer course. Or so I thought. 

My former teammates found it amusing borderline hilarious that I did not join them in the Classic. But I knew my limits. Inasmuch as the Classic appealed to the athletic-snob in me, it was ludicrous on my end to even attempt to run 5 kilometers. After all, I am a good 25 lbs. overweight. 3 kilometers it is then.  

Merman at Home

When I arrived at the Loyola Schools Covered Courts, I was overwhelmed with the density of the participants hanging out in the receiving area. As I approached the registration booth, I noticed that both spectators and racers were congregated around a contraption in the middle of the Courts 5 and 6. To my surprise and amusement, the people were gathered around the mechanical bull ride which is quite popular these days. I have to give it up to FAST for bringing in that attraction; watching people try to conquer that bull resulted to hilariously entertaining moments which made my waiting time really bearable. 

After registering and getting bodymarked, I spotted some of my former teammates who just finished their Aquathlon Classic. I spent a few minutes chatting and catching up with them before excusing myself to get changed and warmed up. After about an hour or so, Aquathlon Lite Boys was called. A few more minutes were spent for the briefing and heat segregation before we were queued along the starting area.

Coming into the race, my strategy for the swim was to get as much separation from the pack as possible. I am a swimmer after all and I was sure that very few of the participants can outswim me--in my home pool no less. Besides, I needed the lead since I am one of the worst runners you can ever encounter.

Much to my dismay, however, I was put in the second heat with 14 other people or so. I situated myself at the front of the bunch when the first heat was started, confident that I can catch up with them with little trouble.

When we were started, I immediately kicked off the floor and began my swim as aggressively as possible. I caught the tail end of the first heat almost immediately and tried my best to overtake them without getting too physical. By my fifth round, there were very few people in front of me so I settled to a cruising pace, relying more on my arms than my legs. I finished the first 200 not yet winded so I decided to push my luck in the second round by quickening my pace a bit. Zigzagging my way through the pool traffic, I finished the second 200 meters with my arms throbbing like hell before I got out and grabbed my gear in the transition area. After struggling to put my singlet on, I immediately exited the pool all the while hoping that I had built enough cushion in the swim.

Merman on Dry Land
What's bittersweet about running around the Ateneo is the fact that the campus is on top of a hill. As much as I dreaded jogging around the campus during my varsity years, running up and down the hilly areas benefited my cardiovascular fitness immensely. But of course, the running part is easier said than done. 

That said, and considering that I have never been even a satisfactory runner, my plan for the run was to walk uphill and jog downhill. As for the flat stretches of road, which were very few I might add,  I would just have to wing it.

The 3 kilometer route entailed one to run down Masterson Drive all the way to Moro Lorenzo to retrieve a lap marker. From there, one needs to pass by Bellarmine Hall, the Ateneo School of Government, Xavier Hall, back down Masterson Drive before finishing at the covered courts. I was already thinking about the route as I exited the pool which turned out to be a big mistake.

Somewhere between swimming the 400 meters and struggling to put on my singlet, I forgot about the steep uphill once I had to traverse once ran pass the pool gates. Needless to say, I struggled mightily to conquer that hill; Not 200 meters from the pool gate, my calves were already cramping up and my gut hurt like crazy whenever I gasped for air. I walked from that point on. I needed to catch my breath and try to avoid the muscle cramps as much as I can. As I tried to walk briskly, I knew that my strategy just went out the window. There was no way I could jog the entire course given the way I was feeling.

It was not until I passed the Church of the Gesu that I felt good enough to jog. I did just that and got my first lap marker from the Marshals before making my way back. As I turned the corner leading to the ISO and ASoG, I knew that I could not finish the reminder of the route non-stop so I sort of reverted to my old plan of walking uphill and jogging downhill. It was still a struggle for me, especially when I got to the last uphill near the Batibot Tree (or the Tennis wall). By the time I reached the corner leading to the finish line, I mustered every ounce of strength I had left so that I could at least end the race running.

When I crossed the finish line, I felt a great sense of accomplishment wash over me. I was tired beyond measure but I accomplished what I had set out to do. While the thought did not relieve some of the fatigue, completing my first Aquathlon in over 3 years is something I can proudly look back on. Granted, what I competed in was not really the full event and I finished 30th out of 35 participants. But given that I do not run, am overweight and have not really competed in anything after the 2010 UAAP, I will take 30th place any day. Besides, I was one of the first finishers of the swim leg; if anything, that proves that I am still a capable swimmer.

Challenge Accepted
FAST marketed their Aquathlon this year as a challenge to be conquered. If anything, crossing the finish line, regardless of time, is enough for one to exclaim at the top of his lungs that he has conquered the FAST Aquathlon. I felt as much and it was truly a gratifying feeling. However, as I conquered  Aquathlon Lite, a new challenge came with it. Perhaps it was just the athletic-snob again but without thinking twice, I accepted it.

Next year, I will race in the Aquathlon Classic. More than anything, it is a matter of honor that I finally turn in a time which I will not even cringe just thinking about. By no means will it be easy; I still have to get comfortable and exponentially improve on my running. On top of that, there is the business of maintaining my aquatic fitness to near competitive form. Swimming is my strength after all; I would be an idiot if I do not leverage on that.

With that, "Challenge Accepted!" as the younger generation says these days.

To my former FAST teammates, congratulations on a successful event!  I am proud that you were able to hold a well-organized race! More power and good luck on your future endeavors!

A special shout out to the Aquathlon Organizing Committee of Santi Chua, May Tiu, Paui Pena, Max Austria, Karlo Lim, Islau Dapat, Benjo Ramos, Adel Barlisan and Makki Araneta. Great job, boys and girls!

Lest I forgot, I would like to commend the Marshals posted along the run route. Nothing is more uplifting than hearing you guys cheer us on while we run under the intense heat of the sun. That simple "Go!" or "Kaya pa yan!" gave us the much needed energy-boost to push on and forget the fatigue, even momentarily. Thank you so much boys and girls!

Take your mark!