Dear Last Season.

Dear Friends, Fans, and Last Season. You were something. 😉

 

For the 20th time, in the last 2 decades our team showed up in front of friends, families, supporters,and a few haters. For some, a supposed reclaiming of the crown. But definitely an inevitable UAAP comeback.

To say that the outcome of last year’s CDC surprised many, in many ways, is still an understatement. Because more than the change in pressure, and in podium results, the awarding was surprisingly with a much welcome feeling of relief. And apparently, the surprises were just getting warmed up.

 

So allow us to give every single athlete who participated, and those who won in the last UAAP season, a sincere pat on whichever body part is not injured. And more than just sending out our thank you’s for last season, especially to our partners, Golds Gym, who kept pushing with us up to the last rep of the last set, and Reebok who, too, have shown their support even in previous seasons, we would also want to share a few of our learnings from the last 20 years. Starting with–

Better late than mema.
Our excuse for such a delayed appreciation post. So allow us to make it 20 minutes long and our apologies and deep gratitude for keeping up with our schedule.

Second, as a wise man, Anon, once said:
Anyone can dye the events in his life to give it color as he pleases.

Coats of sugar candy sprinkle included.
It’s fair to admit that the UP Pep squad failed to meet many expectations last year.
but in all honesty, after years of memorable performances here and abroad, we find ourselves in the best place we could be as we close two decades of dancing and competing. Which brings us to our next learning:

Sometimes difficult events dye our lives in their own color–

even without our consent-  in shades we didn’t even know possible.
So we also thank the last 19 years for all the inconvenience that helped prep us for 2017, and all the people who have witnessed those years with us. Maybe we should also thank the people who gave us, at some points, a hard time. K, thanks po. ✌️

 

Admittedly every year we’ve dreaded losing that podium finish.

A few minutes before the announcement of winners (30, including commercials) our hearts prayed for a miracle as a dark cloud of reality hovered close by.Then it was all thunder and lighting, and eventually it,too, came to pass. The results may have changed, but familiar faces stayed.

In one particular year we could have kept complaining on how our hearts were broken the most.
And though this was a difficult year as well, it felt as though we have been spared the annual trauma and instead were taught that

We suffer more in our imaginations than in reality.
And there is truth about finally facing your fears.
 

It’s nice to say that last season’s results taught us humility. But why stop there?
More importantly, we were finally freed from this fear of failure. And most delightful of all is that we didn’t even see that coming. Much as we tried to manage our expectations, we were still hoping to finish gloriously last year. Much as we make excuses, we did have our hopes up. And yet, when all the confetti settled on the cheerleading mats, so did all of our anxieties for that day.

 

Our five-minute routine sounded off a range of opinions as all routines always do in the age of internet experts.  But it remained very memorable and awe-inspiring.
Creativity can happen in a second and we tried to recreate our story in 300 at most.
20 years, done in 5 minutes and every stunt we’ve ever tried, and every person we’ve ever trained with, and every success, and heartbreak we’ve ever experienced, all made those 5 minutes possible.We’ve had people express disappointment on us for not winning, or for not being depressed about it. And now, in retrospect, we thank 2017 for a year that paled against atleast the start of 2018.
But in the history of our team, every starting point was never easy anyway.

From all the falling down and all the falling out in between, losing another year does sound like another heart break. Because it really is.
But it’s not the only way you can get your heart broken. Yet if we could spare ourselves from all the heartbreaks in the last 20 years,then we wouldn’t have those 20 years to speak of.
If we’ve never bled, then we’d probably be the Fighting Whites instead. 

But here’s some good news:

Much as we prefer to see growth as eye-candy, it’s not.

We could be wrong about this.  Perhaps someone somewhere is having an exhilarating time growing. If you can afford the pain reliever and insurance, good for you. Real change brings a mixture of emotions, including grief for what you’ll have a hard time letting go of along with the miracle of what you can become. A soft genuine sadness with a simple and fulfilling joy. And if you prefer the pain reliever, then maybe this is not for you. And that’s ok, too.

 

In the end, we don’t just learn to see the crown as a symbol of something more than just glory.

If you are fortunate enough to be given 20 years, then maybe you will get to redefine your crowning glory, too. The process will be tedious. It will ask for sacrifices. Including your hair.
You might have to cut it, bleach it, shave, color, or just watch it waste away,

But if you are fortunate to last all those 20 years, then you’ll learn you don’t always have to earn a crown, or buy a crown, or win a crown.
If you are lucky, it can grow on you.
and that’s ok, maybe even better, too.  ✊🏽

VAAS Auditions

We are looking forward to meeting everyone who’ll try out on our next VAAS Auditions.

But before the big day, kindly read the following reminders regarding what to bring, what to expect and how to better manage your expectations when trying out and joining the University of the Philippines Varsity Pep Squad.

The Pep Promise

One of the most intimidating and shocking developments in Philippine collegiate cheerleading is funding. But please be reminded that as a special varsity team from the only government funded university in the UAAP, the UP Pep Squad does NOT OFFER FINANCIAL SUBSIDIES for being part of the team. You can look for your own private scholarships. However, put simply, we have no monetary offers.

Alongside our responsibilities as Iskolar ng Bayan: to maintain respectable grades and academic standing, attend our classes, and take part in student activities;
our service to the university is our way of giving back to our school and country.
Idealistic as it may sound, successful applicants of the team are trained to serve the university, and not the other way around.

The struggle is real. The struggles ARE real…(s)
But even after many years later
the fulfillment is genuine.

So the UP Pep promise is actually purpose. Its rewarding work, it’s a golden struggle.

Background

We are looking for cheerleaders, performers, dancers and students who are willing to learn and willing to invest time to optimize their skills (with as much parental support as possible).
Our team has always welcomed a wide range of skilled individuals. From gymnasts, to high school cheerleaders, hip hop dancers, b-boys and mere athletic potential. You may come from a different sport, or different dance genre.
What’s most important is your commitment to TRAIN and IMPROVE.
Plus, good health.

Eligibility

Please note that the VAAS Auditions are for those who did not qualify for the previous years’ UPCAT.
If you are incoming UP DILIMAN Freshmen, and are interested in joining the team, please wait for further announcements regarding our summer training season.

For highschool seniors / senior high students, kindly check with your school or CHED if you are not sure about your eligibility. Consider this as STEP 1. 😉

Other cases that are eligible for the program include college students from other schools who wish to transfer to UP Diliman, and senior high/  high school students who were not able to take the UPCAT.

Other Reminders

Kindly review the date, time and venue for the audition and be there earlier than the posted time, in proper athletic training attire (rubber shoes and hair accessories included).
Bring hydration supplies for personal use, towels and extra shirts.

Thank you, goodluck and see you there!

 

Utak.Puso.Grad : USoG.

Closing another training year, and another season of head aches, heart breaks, life lessons and great memories.

But now that we are officially on break, we would like to recognize the efforts and service of our outgoing team members starting with our captains Cam, Lara, and brother Louie (3x) and ofcourse, our head drummers Angelo and Patrick!

Thank you not only for your time, but more importantly for your presence.

Thank you not only for your contributions, but more importantly for what you were willing to give up.

Thank you not only for being our team mates, but more importantly for being people we can aspire to be like.

 

When asked how do we measure the service we render for this state university, it is through people like you that we find genuine answers.

Because ironically it is people like you who never ask for your service to be measured, or how much of what you have given up could ever be replaced.

We also thank our outgoing senior members for teaching us the valuable lesson of what makes a mere memory and what makes a true respectable athlete.
Whether you are getting ready for graduation or switching to full-academic mode, we congratulate you for surviving all the hell weeks that we hope from now on will come easier, dahil ok lang umasa.

***
The past year has been very turbulent.
But we are grateful that many of those turbulence were experienced on actual planes…
…and that we all got back home safe.

But in memory of all the individuals and events that have caused us a slight change in altitude and have brought us our share of inconvenience, we are reminded to be thankful for them.
For reminding us to fasten our seatbelts and re-evaluate our values, our relationships and our commitments in life; for the chance to pray for stillness and for renewed appreciation of what we have, and the people we share these turbulence with.

So for everyone who joined us through out these turbulent times,
who held us, and prayed for us, and kept their faith in us as we also put our faith in them,
We dedicate our recent season to all of you, and with you, hope for even bigger ones.
Again to our parents, families, friends, teachers, godfathers, second mothers and mentors;
Our community, and officials;
To our sponsors, partners and supporters;
And for everyone who stood beside us till the very very end of another year:
We say, USo Pa!

Utak. Puso. Paninindigan.