ANOTHER CHAPTER IN THE MOST TALKED ABOUT UAAP

UNEDITED SAMPLE SPORTS ARTICLE
By Jezel Christine Nolasco Quevada
IV-Madame Marie Curie


Sports are being promoted in almost all universities in our country. They are doing to this to make the students well-rounded individuals and not just focused on their studies. It helps them become healthy and besides, sports is one way of defocusing from stress in their studies, building camaraderie among team mates and strong sense of belongingness and loyalty to the school they represent. It is one way of helping them stay away from vices and prohibited drugs. To some, it prepares them on their future professional careers. As a whole, sports contribute to the total development of an individual. Among the universities that compete with each other are the following: University of the Philippines, De La Salle University, Ateneo de Manila University, University of Santo Tomas, Adamson University, Far Eastern University, National University and University of the East.

Some long-lived rivalries in various sports history are those of DLSU and ADMU, UP and ADMU, the contention of FEU against UE, the rivalry of UP between UST, the enmity of UST and DLSU, the battle of DLSU against FEU. If you happen to wonder where did these rivalries actually start, the answer is the UAAP.

UAAP stands for University Athletic Association of the Philippines. It was established in 1938 as a sport association of eight major universities (stated in the first paragraph of this article) in our country. Each year 15 sports are being competed by these universities. From these sports, rivalries are born. The UAAP is consists of the following braches of sports namely; basketball, chess, beach volleyball, judo, swimming, taekwondo, table tennis, cheer dance, baseball, football, softball, tennis, track and field, volleyball, badminton and fencing. Different member-universities of the association take turns in sponsoring and organizing the annual season.

It was in the year 1924 when the thought of having a sports association, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), came to the mind of Dr. Regino Ylanan, the late UP Physical Education Director. He threw the idea of this project to the universities of UST, DLSU, ADMU and FEU.

In 1930, The University of the Philippines sponsored an experimental meet with the first "BIG 3" league (UST, NU, UP) on basketball, swimming, baseball, relays, track and field, volleyball, tennis and soccer.

In 1935, University of the Philippines was not able to join the event for it had numerous mass intramurals inside the campus. The event was then organized by UST, NU and FEU.

Three years later, the Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation (PAAF), the highest sports body in the country, in cooperation with the UP Alumni Association encouraged the original “BIG 3” including FEU to build and form a permanent sports association. This was the time when the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) was born. Events included were basketball, women's volleyball, baseball, football, swimming and track and field. During that event, UP bagged three titles (volleyball, baseball, track and field), UST ranked 1st in football and swimming while FEU triumphed in basketball.

The season 1941 to 1942 was somewhat hindered due to the outbreak caused by World War II.

In 1946, the UAAP season was sponsored and organized by UST.

During 1952, four new members joined the league namely University of the East, University of Manila, Adamson University and Manila Central University.

In 1954, UE is permanently accepted into the league. The three universities (UM, Adamson, and MCU) were dropped from the UAAP due to their inability to comply with the UAAP requirements.

In 1970, Adamson University tried again to join the league with yet another two-year probationary period.

In 1974, Adamson University hosted the season; from here they became a permanent member of the league.

In 1978, Ateneo de Manila University joins the league and has been accepted. Eight years after, 1986, their rival, De La Salle University joins the league too.

Through the years, the University Athletics Association of the Philippines believes that the true development of an individual does not totally depend on his academic growth hence it depends also in how he involves himself to physical activities and the foundation of camaraderie and sportsmanship.

This year, the association is having its 71st season, which will be sponsored by the University of the Philippines who is celebrating its centennial. The first semester sports starting from the month of July to October includes basketball, chess, beach volleyball, judo, swimming, taekwondo, table tennis and the most awaited cheer dance competition. The second semester, which starts on the month of November and ends in March, includes baseball, football, softball, tennis, track and field, volleyball, badminton and fencing.

The UAAP craze is about to start again. Even if we are not students of the universities competing in the UAAP, for sure, we will cheer the universities we like best. Hopefully, we will be a part of that event, too. Go UP fighting maroons! Animo La Salle Green Archers! Go Ateneo Blue Eagles! Go UST Growling Tigers! Go Adamson Blue Falcons! Win FEU Tamaraws! Go NU Bulldogs! You can do it UE Red Warriors! Go for the gold and bring home the bacon your school is waiting for. Fight! Fight! Fight!