I love this game! UA&P Athletics

The life of a student-athlete is a unique experience. A recruited student gets an athletic scholarship and plays varsity sport/s and will get all sorts of 'perks'- allowance, accommodation, tutor, medical, etc.  A walk-on is someone who is not recruited, but plays on the varsity team. This means the team may no longer offer him a scholarship, but his year with the team will serve as an evaluation point that may merit him a scholarship the following season. He may start off as a student manager/off the bench, and may eventually win a starting spot the next year, depending on his performance. Then, there is the last kind, those that play varsity sports for the love of the game- regardless of being recruited or otherwise. 

In UA&P,  the athletics life is comparable to that of the NCAA Div. III schools. This means, the school and population size is less than 10,000. UA&P has 2,500 students, and to date, has only 1 athletic scholar- Claire Capisonda of the WBT. For it was only in 2009, headed by alumni Nicky Mapa who started the fundraiser for boosting the varsity scene- he envisioned funding for the recruitment of true student-athletes by providing more financial support to varsity sports. Hence, the qualification for the scholarship means that the potential recruit must be a student first. With the stringent grade requirements of UA&P, the search only produced a few, and only one qualified. 

Claire Capisonda of the WBT was chosen because of her intelligence- on and off court. A 2009 honors graduate of LCCM Balagtas, Bulacan, she can also execute a-la AND 1 moves on the court, leaving players in disbelief- inventing her own ankle-breaking moves to piss-off the likes of CSB's and former Mythical 5 member Aice Dadal in their first WNCAA, this season. 

According to my mini-interview with Claire, she was first recruited by Coach Julie to play for the UST Lady Tigresses, until she had a last-minute change of heart and decided to stay with UA&P. Also, she says that she's given a stipend for her living expenses, as she currently lives in a dormitory in Pioneer, Mandaluyong to be near the school. Originally, she lives in Bulacan. 

Grade-wise, the girl is doing well, and is in 2nd year college. She said she's interested in taking up Management, but in this school- it is only in your 2nd year that you apply for the course you like. But I have no doubt that she will make it. She adds, all I have to do is follow the retention policy. 

I don't know how the scholarship goes, but it seems to me that Claire may keep it as long as she makes the grade. Hence, it will be a fruitful 4-5 years for the WBT, plus she graduates with a Management degree from UA&P. 


Definitely, the school should support this endeavor to help deserving student-athletes get quality education and compete at the highest possible level.

The Winning Attitude

Being a coach is a thankless job. You get the frustrations of the players and ire of the supporters when you lose, the players get the credit when the team wins. The coach is the soul of the team, the glue that keeps them together, a parent to advise them, a mentor and a teacher who will develop them as players and persons. One who is patient when things go wrong, or when players develop slower than you think they should. The coach is the leader, wherein everyone listens, not what they want to hear, but what they can learn and develop from.


In her maiden season with the UA&P as head coach, Julie Amos has turned things around for the perennial cellar-dwellers, UA&P Lady Dragons. Coming in Feb 2009, the team reached their 1st Finals appearance in MBT on February or March. 


A few months later, and losing several veterans to graduation, but compensated with Claire Capisonda's (13) arrival, the Dragons barged into the Finals, with a clean slate of 4-0 at the end of eliminations. However, they faced a tough LCCM Blue Royals squad, led by Mythical 5 members Jennelyn Capistrano and Hazel Mangabat, who gave them heckuva fight, until a last second shot by MVP Ara Biolena sealed their fate for the 3rd and final game of the WNCAA 40th Season, Seniors B Championship.


Currently, the team may be lacking in talent compared to the other teams, but not in defense, heart and hustle. I sense that nobody feels superior within the team, i.e. player A is a star and should have more playing time. Many of them are rookies raw in talent and experience, but the winning attitude of the team has been evident, defeating LCCM Blue Royals in the opening game 57-47. The team is now led by Katrine Catalan (4) who showed her resiliency and skill in the 3rd game of last year's finals via lay-ups and excellent free-throw shooting.


Today, 15th Aug, the Lady Dragons escaped with a narrow win against SSC Scions, 67-57, who wouldn't let up until the last few seconds, with the help of twins Kay and Kate Del Rosario (14 & 15), and backstopped by PG Justine Ferrer (8), who tried to rally their team towards overtime.


Today's game was different as coach Julie shuffled her wards, due to early foul troubles with her starters PG Claire Capisonda (13), and vastly-improved C Mariel Sison (9). This meant calling on the bench, and they have responded well. Especially Patty Regalado (6), who hustled for rebounds and 2nd chance points, which relieved the tired starters and gave them the energy they needed. Capisonda stayed seated on the bench until the dying minutes of the game, this meant coach Julie's confidence in her wards, especially that they all came to play defense, and there was no need to risk Claire of fouling out. Overall, it was a great team effort, though there were lapses when they allowed the Scions to get into the thick of the fight after the 'brown-out'.


Thanks to Richela Solatorio's (11) timely 3-point baskets, Claire Capisonda (13) and Syl Alcantara's (7) exploits that allowed the Lady Dragons to have some cushion in the last few seconds. Costly turnovers in the dying seconds sealed the fate of the Scions. 


Team Standings, as of 16th Aug 2010


Basketball


Seniors A                          Seniors B
Teams            W-L            Teams         W-L
LPU                2-0             CEU            1-1
CSB               2-0             PWU            2-0
UA&P     2-1            MC               1-0
RTU               1-1             EAC             0-0
SSC              0-2             SBCA          0-2
LCCM           0-3


UA&P will have their rest on the 22nd Aug, but will be facing the 4-peat champs, LPU Lady Pirates on 29th Aug 2010. Go Dragons!
Many thanks to the coaching staff of: Julie Amos, Ellie Chua!