YOU BACK WHAT HOLDS YOU

Each of us has our own preferences when deciding which university to attend. Most of the time, we want to pursue quality education. At the same time, somewhere, our passion is continually honed and developed. But what if the best school we think for us cannot complement the long-held desire you've had? Would you still accept the chance?

can still clearly recall my friends' precise emotions when I informed them that would pursue my tertiary education at the Philippine Normal University North Luzon campus, which serves as the nation's national hub for teacher preparation.

“Ba't always been viewed as a negative feature of the university, particu larlazy for students like me who came from a special sports pro gram in high school and aspired to be a teacher someday. crowned as the overall champion of this year's sports fest. "Syempre laking karangalan na maging overall champion. It's a shared responsibility and effort for each and everyone, nagbunga lahat yung sacrifice."

[Of course, it's such an honor to become the overall champion. It's a shared responsibility and effort for each and every one, all of our sacrifices paid off.]

"I felt excited kasi finally after almost 2 years na naka tambay lang sa bahay, online class, now na allowed na ulit yung mga ganitong activities sa campus kasi eto yung mga isa sa inaabangan natin na yung makakasama mo ang co-students with same interest and sport," he added.

[I felt excited because finally, after almost two years of being stocked at home, online classes, these kinds of activities were allowed again on campus because this is one of the most anticipated events which you will be with your co-student with the same interest and sport]

Meanwhile, the succeeding contact sports activities are expected to be conducted when all year levels are already attending the university premises.

Sports fest: Yellow Coubertin, Pink Hera advances to finals

by Junelle Dulay

Yellow Coubertin and Pink Hera successfully clinched their spots in the championship match of the 2022 sports fest volleyball game at PNU NL gymnasium after defeating Blue Zeus and White Coroebus in the knockout game during the elimination round, July 20.

Aside from the MLBB, various Esports teams from our country also secured one of the top three spots from different events, particularly in League of Legends, silver; Crossfire, silver; and League of Legends: Wild Rift (women’s team), gold. In the 2019 SEA Games, the Philippines also bagged gold in Dota 2. These triumphs are pieces of evidence of our Eplayers’ dedication to the world of Esports. But, did we ever wonder where these techy medal clinchers trained and honed their skills in battling inside the virtual arena?

Numerous medal-bearing sports personalities in our country started as studentathletes. John Paul Lizardo, a Taekwondo fighter, is one of them who once brought recognition to the Philippines in terms of sports. Putting it into the context of Esports, there may be learners who have the potential to excel in this newly emerging competitive activity.

Including Esports in sports fest, intramurals and even in other athletic meets for students may open an opportunity for these virtual sports enthusiasts to unleash their hidden skills and potential and to be discovered by Esports scouts for a bigger battle arena.

According to the official website of MLBB alone, around 100 million Filipinos are playing the said video game as of March 2021, and it was recorded that 46.3% of them are ages 8-17 years old. The data only shows the possibility that students were fascinated by playing online games where they could master their skills.

Another, school intramurals, sports fests, and even student athletic meets in the region and the whole country were immobilized due to the severe threat of COVID-19.This situation opened a floodgate for this so-called Esports to boom in every tournament as a substitute sport. Even in colleges and universities, virtual sporting events were facilitated, and Esports such as MLBB, PUBG, and other online video games were the highlights of the tourney.

Missing Breeze

by Eren

Thin clothes donned; air passed coned ice sipped, moist builds-sweat drops fan unfolds, air comes ka nag-PNU e wala namang sports diyan diba?”...“Diba hindi naman sila sumasali sa mga sport events?”... “Sayang naman skills mo, hindi mo madadala sa college.” competed in various tournaments, both schoolbased and local leagues throughout the region, and was fortunate enough to experience victories and take home some awards. These reasons might have served as their basis for assuming that would pursue a sports-centred university with all the means of fostering my volleyball skills. knew several student-athlete who instantly excluded the said university when considering what university to attend for the same reason had. It has

Prior to completing the necessary admission requirements, was honestly hesitant to pursue this because knew that if were to be admitted to this university, that would be the end of my volleyball journey because PNU NL no longer participates in sports competitions such as the State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association (SCUAA).

Coming from an athlete's per spective who played for a very long time, it's hard for me to set volleyball aside because it's my passion and life balance. The thought that can no longer play volleyball and carry the university's name across my chest saddens me had a lot of questions and "what ifs" in my head after I got into PNU regarding the university's sports program, and barely got an answer. For the record, have no regrets about the decision made. know that PNU NL is the best choice for me to study college because, aside from the convenience of it being close to my home, it is capable of providing me with the quality of education that I need to become the effective and efficient professional that envision myself to be in the future.

The long-standing questions in my mind are still unanswered, but I know that whatever the reasons, they will turn out outstanding. am not saying that participating in sports competitions is a bad thing; on the contrary, the fact that the curriculum puts academics as a top priority encourages students to be academically inclined and competitive

PNU NL has consistently produced top-tier students and constantly aced the board examination for teachers with a high passing rate. It just goes to show that even without extra-curricular activities, the university still does an exemplary job of fostering quality and competitive students, which is the main objective of education and why we are here.

So, to answer the first paragraph's question, "Would you still accept the chance?" here's my response: since I devoted almost half of my life prioritizing my passion, think it's about time to put my academics first. am also aware that college life will always be challenging, so there is no guarantee that can balance sports and my studies. Furthermore, realized that I can still compete in competitive tournaments through leagues, so it is not the end of the road yet for my volleyball journey. After all, there are still intramurals and Sports fest events at the university where we can show off our skills, talent, and strength. It may not be as competitive as a university or state meet, but it is perfectly adequate because the purpose of sports, in my opinion, is to make you healthy, happy, and friendly; the rest is just a bonus. #

Yellow Coubertin made their presence known and dominantly swept Blue Zeus in the opening game, 25-17, 25-13. They had a strong start in the first set, launching two consecutive service aces that helped them gain momentum.

The lead blew up owing to their star player Joanna Flor Madrid's consistent and solid performance in the service line, which paved their way to winning the set.

It was an all-Coubertins show in the second set after Zeus committed numerous unforced errors and ran out of offensive options. The game ended through a powerful service ace by Ailyne Garo.

"Yung cooperation ng each member. Kasi kahit hindi kami marunong mag-volleyball, sinusupport namin yung each other para ma-cheer up sila," said Ailyne Garo from III BSSE. [Cooperation of everyone. Because even though we don't know how to play volleyball, we support each other to lift them.]

Meanwhile, despite trailing by one set early in the match in the second game, Pink Hera bounced back and subdued White Coroebus in 3 thrilling sets 15-25, 26-24, 15-12.

After launching a barrage of service aces, White Coroebus claims the first set, led by Jessica Oria.

White Coroebus came close to winning the second set 24-22 in the last moments but was unable to do so due to an error by Oria that gave Pink Hera a chance to serve at 23-24. Pink Hera completed launching three consecutive aces, which led them to snatch the second set and forced the game to a deciding set.

The first half of the third set was extremely close, 8-8, but the four straight service aces by Atlheia Cadago gave the Pink Hera a chance to break through in the last set 12-8 and finally win the match.

The anticipated championship match between Yellow Coubertin and Pink Hera was scheduled for July 27 at PNU NL Gymnasium.

Moreover, sports coordinators see virtual competitive gaming as one of the extracurricular activities that learners may consider. They will also undergo tryouts, a series of training and competitions, and have their own varsity squad. With this, they can develop new skills and digital literacy and provide an inclusive space that promotes participation.

Additionally, as one of the rapidly growing additions to school athletic departments, esports offers one of the significant benefits of traditional sports—camaraderie. Competitive gaming allows the students to become part of a team, learn from and train each other, and bond over a shared interest. School-sponsored Esports leagues can also foster positive interactions and friendships among students, teach teamwork and communication skills, provide opportunities to build leadership skills, and create a sense of belonging for students.

In this evolving and technologically changing society, the sports community also needs to adapt to these changes, and the existence of Esports is their response. Competitive gaming will rapidly emerge from single to massive groups or communities and soon be one of the official events in large global tournaments. So, training our online fighters while they are still young will make a huge contribution to how they will perform and eventually fight for gold if given a chance to battle in the larger and wider battleground of Esports.