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In this issue…A Night Under The Stars ………………….1
JTA-Okay……………….………………….6
Peeking At Glory……….…………………14
Keep Moving Forward….…………………22
Under The Stars is a highly anticipated annual
event hosted by one of Ateneo's most prestigious
and top organizations: the Loyola Film Circle.
Traditionally held very close to Valentine's day,
Under The Stars aims to celebrate and
strengthen the love and relationship between
friends, family and lovers not only through having
food and game booths but also watching
performances and a romantic comedy film on the
fields of Ateneo de Manila University.
However, when one mentions Under The Stars,
upperclassmen and even some freshmen think
of it as an event made for couples to go on a
date, because the event is always set so near to
Valentine’s Day. But although most people would
say that Under The Stars is an event only for
couples romantically involved, it is actually a way
for friends, block mates and couples alike to
bond and strengthen their relationship with each
other.
The first time I heard about Under The Stars
during the start of the first semester, I
immediately got excited. Apart from watching a
movie in a 50’s style drive-in theater with my very
Nightunder the
StarsWords By Hannah Gana
A
own prince charming, It has always been in my
bucketlist to watch a movie under the stars
with my barkada, and I already saw this as an
opportunity to fulfill that dream of mine. So as
months passed, I always made it a point to
look out for new details and information that
the Loyola Film
C i r c l e w o u l d
re lease abou t
Under The Stars.
I t w a s l a t e
December 2014
when the Loyola
Film Circle (LFC)
first announced
the date of the
much awa i t ed
event. It was to
be held on the
13th of February,
one day before
Valentine’s Day. Months passed and every
time an LFC member posts another poster,
reminder or teaser I get even more excited for
Under The Stars than I already was.
After months of waiting, February 13th finally
arrived, and I couldn't be more excited. I had
asked my friend from De La Salle University
and University of Santo Tomas to attend the
event, along with three of my friends from
Ateneo. Before leaving Ateneo to meet up with
my friends, an LFC member came up to me
and informed me that the venue changed from
the Cervini Field to the Bellarmine Field. After
which my friends
and I all met up in
Katipunan to eat
dinner in Sweet
I n s p i r a t i o n s
before heading
back to Ateneo
for Under The
Stars.
We arrived at the
event at around
7 : 0 0 i n t h e
e v e n i n g , a n d
already, the place
was packed with
hundreds of students. A band was serenading
the attendees. The place looked beautiful and
just how I imagined it would be; surrounding
the stage forming a U are the food booths
which offer different kinds of snacks to attend
to the people who have not eaten, and game
booths which offer different kinds of games
and entertainment
such as marriage
booth and fortune
telling booth. They
even set up a
H u g o t B o o t h
where those who
are heartbroken or
“bitter” that they
do not have a love life so near Valentine’s Day
can throw darts at balloons which, when
popped, has a motivating quote inside that
urges to move on and love themselves. Inside
t h e h u g o t
boo th i s a
hugot board
where people
can write just
a b o u t
a n y t h i n g :
s o m e w h a t
l i k e a
f r e e d o m
board but for
those who are heartbroken. There was a
gigantic screen on the left side of the stage
where the logo of Under The Stars is
permanently shown. The grounds of the
enormous fie ld
were packed with
students chatting,
l a u g h i n g a n d
bonding with their
f r i e n d s a n d
significant others.
Scattered on the
field were dozens
of red balloons and bouquets of flowers held
by women, presumably given by the loves of
their life. Looking around, I understand why
they had to move the venue. The place had
t o o m a n y
people that I
d o u b t t h e
Cervini Field
could handle
the capacity.
The program
started with
t w o h o s t s
w e l c o m i n g
the attendees,
and inviting them to try out the different booths
located at the back. They then welcomed the
bands to perform. One band after the other
Above: The hugot board!
The crowd!
performed, but what I admired about LFC is
that they did not only just get bands, dancers
and singers to perform, they also asked
students to perform slam poems and spoken
w o r d p e r f o r m a n c e s t o
showcase the underrated
talents of these artists.
As the night grew, the more
people arrived to participate in
the event. As I observed
further and tried to look at the
faces of the audience despite
the darkness of the venue, I
saw that the people, both
women, men, lovers, and friends all had
glowing smiles on their faces. I saw groups of
friends simply talking to each other, tickling
each other, and teasing each other. At the far
back, I observed a group of friends having a
mini food fight, throwing ice cream at each
other’s faces. By the game booths were a
group of friends seemingly “wrestling” each
other and playing childish games such as
Nanay Tatay, Bahay Kubo and Ketchup.
Looking around, I can see how friends and
lovers alike are bonding. Because Valentine’s
Day is so near, everyone was in high spirits.
The reason, I presume, that LFC pushes that
this event be held on a day so close to
Valentine’s Day is because they want to stress
that Valentine’s Day is not only about lovers,
boyfriends, girlfriends and married couples, but
also about love that is present
between friends, classmates,
blockmates and orgmates. And
this is where I can say that
L F C c a n b e d e e m e d
successful in their endeavor: to
strengthen the bond and love
between relat ionships as
friends and lovers alike. Under
The Stars is the ultimate
bonding experience for those who want to
strengthen the relationship and have a relaxing
and overall chill night with their friends and
loved ones under the cool breeze of nature
and the light of the stars. ★
“Looking around, I
can see how friends and lovers alike are bonding”
JTA- OkayWords By Raven Lingat
Ateneo opens doors filled with opportunities for
its students. Whether it may be in different
fields such as sports, dancing, theatre, arts,
debating, business and whatnot, the school
caters to every student’s interests. There are
varsity teams, dance and singing groups, even
theatre guilds and business organizations who
are open for applicants. But for those students
who are into traveling and adventure, then the
Ateneo’s Junior Term Abroad or also known as
the JTA is the right program for them. The JTA
program which is available to all students of
the Loyola Schools enables an Atenean to
enrol in their chosen partner university and
experience life outside the country.
Several students try to get into
this program and they go to countries
such as the United States and even in
Europe. Each of them comes home with
di fferent stor ies to tel l , several
experiences and with new outlooks in
life. Hearing all these stories about JTA
coming from upperclassmen who had
friends who experienced it, and from
freshmen who had friends of friends
who had experienced it, I was not as
enlightened on the subject of JTA
until i met our student facilitator for
my intact class, Robi Atanacio.
After he shared with us his journey
as a JTA student, i finally heard all
the stories and rumors about it
come to life over the course of our
interview as he shared his first-
hand experiences. Hearing all of
t h i s f r o m s o m e o n e w h o
experienced it first-hand, all the
knowledge he gained, and friends
he made, the JTA is indeed a
wonderful experience and the
freshmen of the next batch might
want to consider this program on
their junior year.
As I waited for Robi at the
s e c w a l k f o r o u r s c h e d u l e d
interview, I scoured his facebook
page and looked for photos of him
in his JTA. I saw him with different
kinds of people in several famous
places around New York. When I
saw him walking down to where I
was seated, I saw in him the
confidence and the swagger
someone who is experienced would
have. He was not awkward, in fact
he was outgoing. Moreover, he
appeared ready and prepared for
the interview. After we exchanged
pleasantries, I started by asking
him about the application process
of getting into JTA. “It is a hard
process.” He said. First you need to
get a QPI of more than 2.8 so those
who are planning to go to JTA need
to do well on their academics. They
are going to represent the school
after all. After that, they have to get
recommendation letters from their
professors and pass them at a
respective department together
with the transcript of your grades. If
the department deemed you worthy
of going to JTA then you’re all set!
He said that when he learned
that he was accepted for the JTA,
he was ecstatic and literally jumped
for joy because of that huge
opportunity. I asked him what he
felt before going into JTA. “I was
really scared. I have been in Ateneo
all my life and being away from my
family for that long is really new to
me.” He added that living alone in
t h e
Phil ippines
i s h a r d
e n o u g h
what else in
a n o t h e r
country.
When
he was at
the airport,
he said he
had mixed
e m o t i o n s .
He was sad
because he
was going to be away with his
family but on the other hand, he
had the feeling of excitement
because of this new adventure,
new friends and most of all, new
memories that was in store for him
in this new country. This is a huge
step and he was hoping that all of it
would be worth it. His family was
there and were really sad to see
him go. But he made learning and
experiencing
new things
a s h i s
motivation.
Coming into
JTA, he was
just this shy
a n d
r e c l u s i v e
guy but after
c o m i n g
b a c k , h e
b e c a m e a
c o n fi d e n t
a n d s e l f -
rel iant person equipped with
experiences and happy memories
that’s why he said that the JTA for
him was one of the highlights of his
college life.
After I asked him some
q u e s t i o n s a b o u t h i s J TA
experience, his face was painted
with a bright smile. I can definitely
see his happiness especially when
reminiscing about the past. “What
w a s y o u r b e s t
memory?” I asked. “It
was the bell drop in
New York on New Year’s
Eve” answered Robi. I
asked him why and he
said, “I guess because it
was one of the first few
days I was there. It was
definitely a bucket-list
experience. I always dreamt of
being there” He was putting his
hand up seemingly mimicking how
the famed Time Square bal l
dropped during New York’s New
Year’s Eve celebration. Robi added
that the people he was with made
t h e e x p e r i e n c e m u c h m o re
significant.
Moreover, when I asked him
about the realizations he gained on
this trip, he said that he was able to
realize how vast the world is. “The
world does not revolve around the
Philippines. Different people who
come from different
walks of life, who are
different in race and
re l i g i o n a l l c o m e
together in that place.
It highlights how our
differences can help
u s c o - e x i s t a n d
become unified.” he
said.
Fordham University is where
he studied and being there, he was
exposed to different kinds of
people. There were Asians, African
Americans and other races and he
was able to interact with them.
Some even became his closest
friends. According to him, the
people he met there are the ones
who made his stay memorable. “I
“The people he met there are the ones who made his stay
memorable.”
had so much fun memories with
them while I was there. I met new
people, built friendships, took
classes and we even travelled
together.” He said that they made
him feel like he was really part of
the Fordham community despite
just staying there for how many
months.
“ I a m
also a different
person now. I
am more than
just that kid
w h o w a s
scared on the
a i r p o r t a n d
had second
t h o u g h t s
about leaving.
I a m m o r e
independent
now. I can say
that I have really gone a long way
and the months I spent in the JTA
program are definitely worth it.”
Robi added. He needed to budget
his money. No one was there to do
his laundry for him. He said he
needed to sustain for himself. He
learned how to cook simple dishes
which he doesn’t really do before.
He also learned how to do his own
laundry, pay his bills and commute
through the city. These experiences
m a d e h i m
m o r e
independent
and he said
that he was
able to bring
these lessons
when he went
back home.
But he said
that the JTA
i s n o t a l l
about travel
and meeting
new people. It is also about
academics. He said that the
c lasses he took were qu i te
Robi (left) and I
overwhelming but it was very
helpful for him especially in making
him decide whether to pursue law
or not. He said the professors were
insightful and are quite considerate.
He was also exposed to a
different culture while living in
America. It was definitely an
exh i la ra t ing exper ience and
learning there the culture of another
country; he was able to appreciate
more the culture we have in the
Philippines. Because when he was
there, he told me that there were
times where he was craving for
Filipino food and was happy
whenever he sees fellow Filipinos
living there.
Just as he was answering
the questions, he pulled his phone
and showed me pictures of his trip.
He had photos with his friends. He
had a photo with the Statue of
Liberty which is one of the iconic
places located in the United States.
He was really happy as he was
pointing to me the people he met
and the experiences he had with
them.
I asked him my last question,
“What is your advice to people,
especially the freshies who want to
avail for the JTA when they become
juniors?” He gathered his thoughts
for a while and answered, “I guess
my advice for them is just take the
plunge. At first, I was not really
keen on going to JTA. But then the
opportunity is too hard to pass up. I
definitely learned a lot. And I can
say that the investment I put into
JTA, the return to me is something
I’ll never trade for anything in my
college life.” Laughing, he added
tha t t he f reshmen who a re
interested in the JTA should now
start saving up, and doing well in
their academics if they want to get
into the said program.
“Success is where opportunity and
preparation meet.”
As I ended the interview, I can say
that I learned a lot about the
program. The JTA is a program that
an adventurous Atenean should go
for. Even I, became interested in
going for the JTA now that I think
a b o u t i t . T h e m a t u r i t y ,
independence and friendships one
will gain in this experience are
priceless. Opportunities come at
the most unexpected time and if
that opportunity presents itself you
need to grab it. As the saying goes,
“Success is where opportunity and
preparation meet.” So if the
opportunity comes knocking, be
open to it, grab it but be sure that
you are prepared for it will be a long
road ahead of you. ▲
Want to join the Junior Term
Abroad?
☑ QPI of 2.8 or higher☑ College Sophomore☑ No F or W in any subject
☑ No major disciplinary offense
For more information, visit the Ateneo website!
JTA CHECKLIST
Peeking atglory
Words By Anton Escolin
In the whole Ateneo campus, there are
numerous places and landmarks that you
will notice. These are buildings that hold
historical significance to the school, and
have memories that Ateneans will hold
forever. The place that I will be featuring
is not a classroom or church, this place is
a landmark that most people see
whenever they go to Loyola Heights.
Since the place takes up a lot of space in
the school, it can also be noticed from the
outside of the school. To add, it holds a
lot of memories that I will never forget as
well as some that hurt. The iconic,
gigantic and historic Blue Eagle Gym is
the place that cannot be neglected by any
Atenean.
When you walk going to the Blue
Eagle Gym from the Loyola Schools, you
will see that it is surrounded by
numerous trees in the side across the
Moro Lorenzo Field. These trees will
remind you of how old and
classic the place is. These trees
are even taller than the gym’s
height itself. The gym can be
located near Gate 2 of the
campus in between the grade
school and the college. When
you are driving from the south
bound in Katipunan Avenue, you
will get a glimpse of a gym that
is covered all white with an
eagle in the middle. This eagle
marks the representation of the
Atenean in sports. Going to this
p l ace becomes a un ique
experience because of the
things that are inside of it. The
Blue Eagle Gym serves much
more than a basketball court, it
is also home to the judo team
and some of the school’s
biggest achievements.
The basketball court of
the Blue Eagle Gym presents
itself as the main attraction of
the whole place. It is the center
of the gym and a lot of games,
practices and festivities are held
here. The court is surrounded
with blue-colored seats with four
sides. These seats spell out the
name “Blue” for the width side,
and “Eagles” for the length side
of the gym. Above the stands
you will be able to see some
rectangle-shaped banners that
represent the championships of
the Ateneo Basketball and
Volleyball teams. During my
elementary days I would visit the
gym to watch some games, I
always thought on how it would
feel if you could help add a
banner there.
In my fourth year in high
school, I became lucky enough
to be part of the Ateneo High
School team as a student
manager. I may not be a player,
but I was still able to help the
team by providing statistics and
being a time-keeper during
practice. During this time, I really
enjoyed being a part of the
team, because it was like a
family environment. During this
UAAP Season, the team was
able to have our games at the
Blue Eagle Gym.
Being a manager
and having games
at that venue, it
felt totally surreal
because you have
a h o m e c o u r t
advantage. Even if
the arena does not
c o n t a i n a i r -
conditioning units
l i k e M O A o r
Araneta Coliseum, you can still
feel the natural breeze that
Loyola Heights has. In the
surroundings of the court words
like “Ateneo”, “Blue Eagles” or
“Go Ateneo”, these show how
playing here is different together
with the banners hung above.
These banners give inspiration
for the team to play better. I
asked current Ateneo Juniors
Basketball team member Dale
Termoso on playing here, he
said “Masaya maglaro sa Blue
Eagle Gym lalo na
k a p a g y u n g
A t e n e o c r o w d
sumusuporta sa
a m i n . ” . T h i s
shows that this
p l a y i n g v e n u e
may not be as
glamorous as the
other venues that
basketball games
are played in, but
for Ateneans they have a pride
and privilege in playing at their
own home court. When I asked
him about the Blue Eagle Gym,
his tone was generally positive
and that playing here makes it
better for his team.
“I became lucky enough to be part of the Ateneo High
School team as a student manager.”
One experience in the
Blue Eagle Gym was when I was
able to have a chance to train
with the
A t e n e o
J u d o
T e a m
back in
H i g h
School.
I n
second
y e a r
high school, I joined the
Judo organization and I wanted
to learn and explore the sport.
Upon starting they invited org
members to train with the varsity
team. I’ve always wanted a
chance to represent my school,
and I saw this as my opportunity
to do so.
The place that we train in
is called the dojo. Judo and
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu are the martial
arts that are being practiced
here. Unknown to many the dojo
stands behind the bleachers of
the gym across Katipunan
A v e n u e .
When you
w a l k u p
the stairs
g o i n g t o
d o j o a
wheel of a
truck. You
w i l l
w o n d e r
what a wheel of a 10-
wheeler truck is doing beside a
Judo training area. To explain
this, the athletes use a hammer
and continually hit the wheel.
Beside the wheel, some gym
equipment are also located
there. The things outside the
dojo, gives you a first impression
of what the dojo truly is. In the
façade of the dojo banners are
hung at the top of the window
and door. When I looked at
The championship flags
these banners, they represent
the championships that the
Judo team won in the past
years.
When you enter the dojo
during the training hours of the
Ateneo Judo team, you will be
astonished at the things that
they do here. Men and women
wearing thick, white and durable
gi’s, also known as their uniform.
There will be judokas violently
and gracefully throwing their
peers to the ground. The place
ground of the dojo is filled with
blue and white mats that will
protect the judokas whenever
they are thrown. The dojo’s size
may be only as big as a
classroom, but a lot of things are
can be done here.
When I started training
with the team, I saw it as a way
for me to learn something new
and be a part of a team. At the
start I was optimistic about the
sport judo, however I had really
difficult time in coping with the
difficult demands of the sport. I
struggled enormously every
training session because of my
lack of strength. This struggle
led me to stop training and
eventually quit the sport. After
the d ifficu l t exper ience, I
regretted quitting because I blew
my opportunity to help give the
school glory.
Another place to take
note of in the gym, which is not
noticed by most people is the
trophy gallery. Situated at the
small entrance across the Henry
Lee Irvin Theater, when you walk
up the stairs you wi l l be
welcomed by a great quantity of
trophies won by Ateneans
throughout the years. The
trophies situated across the
UAO or University Athletics
Office reminds Ateneans of how
the athletes exert their so much
of their effort in getting one of
these hardware. The trophies
range from second runner-up
finishes to the championships
that people celebrate every year
in the bonfires.
That UAAP Season we
had a chance to add a
trophy to that gallery
together with a banner
at the rafters at the
gym. Our team was
bound to face the
team that beat us in the last
game of eliminations, and they
o w n e d a t h r i c e - t o - b e a t
advantage. That finals series
opened us an opportunity to get
back and fight again. Sadly after
heartbreaking games that we
could have won, our team failed
to seize the chance at another
championsh ip, a t another
banner being raised at the Blue
Eagle Gym. As a consolation
prize, the team received a silver
trophy, which I saw at the trophy
gallery when I visited it again,
but it would be better if it was
gold together with a banner
being raised.
The Ateneo freshmen will
be having their cheer rally here
upon the start of the
school year. In this event
the teams that will be
competing for the school
will be presented to the
freshmen. This is also a
chance for them to learn some
of the famous cheers of the
school such as “One Big Fight”,
“Halikinu”, and many more. The
students together with their
block mates will be filling the
storied establishment. The cheer
rally is much more than a
requirement for their InTact
classes, it will remind them of
the excellence that Ateneans
should have because of the
banners above them. Hopefully,
One Big Fight!
it can inspire them in their
Ateneo journey, and help them
strive for excellence, just like the
features of the gym.
The Blue Eagle Gym
taught me to have the hunger to
pursuit more things for the
school. Despite having struggles
and heartache whenever I go to
this place, it gives me more
motivation and desire to be able
to work harder as a person. The
Blue Eagle gym presents itself
as a constant reminder to
Ateneans to strive for more and
learn to love the school. Getting
a chance to represent the school
is one big adventure that an
Atenean should experience,
because it brings out the best
out of you. ■
Did you know?Trivias about the famous Blue
Eagle Gym
Unlike most gymnasiums, the basketball court is oriented perpendicular to the orientation of the building.
It is a frequent venue of NCAA and UAAP games!
Before it got its name, it was inaugurated first as the Ateneo Gym.
The stadium was built in 1949, three years before the Ateneo de Manila moved from its Manila campus to its current main campus in Loyola Heights
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Eagle_Gym
Keep
Words By Jason Yodong
I got the chance to interview him even in these
very busy times nearing Finals week. I have to
say, the things I’ve learned about him will
leave you thinking about how you are doing
with pursuing your dream.
Talking to Niko felt like I was in a movie
with a hit New Yorker actor with a tough New
Yorker kid accent in every word he spat out.
Niko was born and raised in Queens, New
York. At a young age, in 2nd grade, Niko
played with his brother and his brother’s
basketball team in a practice session. After
having a taste of what playing “Ball” is, he
loved it ever since. With an excited look on his
face, his eyes all widened up and a big smile
on his face, he talked about his experiences of
Basketball. All through out middle school he
trained without rest until he got in various
Basketball teams inside and outside school.
He even played in summer, winter, spring
break, and any other breaks they had. When I
asked him who his idol was, he smiled and
adjusted his seat, “My brother man, he got me
in the game and he was my first teacher.”
movingforward
Now, a f te r yea rs o f
playing wholeheartedly to be
better and better in his skills,
Niko is now training with
Ateneo’s Basketball team B.
Standing only 5’6 and playing
against giants is a really tough
challenge. Although Niko is
faced with many obstacles to his
goal he still perseveres to reach
it.
I o n l y k n o w N i k o
Yuvienco as a funny, out going
person. I met him in the first
semester since we were lab
groupmates in Chemistry. He
stands with his chest popped up
reaching the height of my eyes.
He has short dark hair and thick
eyebrows, which he likes to use
to make the Rock (wrestler)
eyebrow thing. He loves to burst
out unexpected jokes and he
never fails to make us, his
groupmates, laugh our butts off.
I assume he takes his studies
seriously since he carries around
notes most of the time and read
them when he has the time. “
Such a comedian, he should
actually do shows if he has the
t ime ” , Reyna, our o ther
groupmate said. All in all, I see
him as a funny and smart kind of
guy. He is the easy-to-be-with
guy.
I honestly did not expect
that he would be an impressive
Baskball player. When I saw him
play in the Ateneo Covered
Courts, he was passing through
Giants like a ghost with no
intention to stop until he gets
the ball to the rim.
After watching him play
and waiting for him to change
from those sweaty jersey shorts
in to nice clean denim jeans, we
walked to sec walk to continue
with the interview. He stopped
me when we were about to
leave and said, “ Wait, you gotta
let them know. This court right
here, is my second home. Haha
”.
I wondered how a New
Yorker ended up here in the
Philippines. I mean I understand
that he’s Filipino but
how’d he know
about Ateneo. He
sa id du r i ng h i s
playoffs, nationals
his team competed
with teams that
h a v e F i l i p i n o
p l a y e r s . T h a t ’s
where he heard
about Ateneo, he added, his
mother went to Ateneo. He took
a giant leap of faith by taking
this opportunity to have a
chance in making it big here in
t h e B a s k e t b a l l w o r l d o f
Philippines at the cost of his
great distance from his loved
ones. “It’s crazy living alone, I
honestly miss home so much
but this is what I want”, he said.
He lived in New York all
his life, leaving for Philippines
surely is a hard thing to do for
teenager. “ I was so scared
when I got here ”, he added. “ I
mean I have family
here but I don’t
know them too, I
didn’t know anyone
here”, he said, “ I
w a s l o s t “ . H e
postured up and a
i n h a l e d s l o w l y
through his nose as
if he was trying to
calm himself down. He said
getting a little teary eyed that he
misses home so much. It’s
amazing how he lived away from
home on his own. I can definitely
say he is strong.
I asked him, “ Why don’t
you just go home and study
there in the States if you’re
having a tough time here in the
“I want to make it big here in
the Philippines, man. I want to
be part of PBA.”
Philippines? ”. “ I want to make
it big here in the Philippines
man. I want to be part of PBA ”,
he said.
PBA is the NBA of the
Philippines and if you get in
there, you can surely say that
you’ve made it big here in the
Philippines. That was Niko’s
goal. That’s what years of
p l a y i n g i n t o u r n a m e n t s ,
regionals, nationals since 2nd
grade was for, to make it in the
PBA.
When you’re reaching for
something, you need to take a
step at a time or else you’ll lose
your foot ing
and fail. Niko
h a s b e e n
t a k i n g o n e
step at time all
through out his Basketball life.
Now he has taken another step
in being part of Team B of
Ateneo’s Basketball team.
I asked him, how it was
like to be part of Ateneo’s
Basketball team. “ They are
really good, I can’t wait to play
with them on real games.”, he
said. He trained with them last
year, from July to August. Since
he was just Team B he didn’t get
to play in real games yet. Sadly,
team B isn’t gonna make it for
Niko.
For a guy like Niko, he
didn’t waste his time thinking
that he was not gonna make it to
Team A or “I’m just Team B so I
really don’t have to do anything,
I can just relax”. I did see him,
l a s t y e a r ,
a l m o s t
e v e r y d a y
playing in the
A t e n e o
Covered Courts with the Team
B. I go there because that’s
where I meet up with my friends.
When he plays, he always has
“When you’re reaching for something, you need to take a
step at a time or else you’ll lose your footing and fail.”
this look of determination. His
eyes focused on the basketball
rim, with his body moving with
i m m e n s e
speed. He is
s u c h a
phenomenal
player, with
his small size
a g a i n s t 6
footers, you
really can’t
miss him. He
plays like this
every single
t ime I see
him and he
j u s t g e t s
be t te r and
better.
N o w
that his time training with Team
B was over since the coaches
attention was all on Team A for
their preparations, he’s just
relaxing and waiting for his try
outs next year. “ It was great to
have trained with Team B, man.
Even though we were not
p l a y i n g f o r
real games,
they still gave
t h e i r b e s t
efforts when
we play and
they helped
me give out
my best as
w e l l . ” , h e
said.
N o w t h a t
h e ’s b e t t e r
than ever, all
h e c a n d o
now is wait
f o r t h e t r y
o u t s a n d
make it to Team A. I’m saying
this as fan of Niko, he can make
it and he will. “ I, aside from the
blessed tall guys, have an extra
hard time playing in the court
but you got to do what you got
to do. You gotta keep moving
forward. ”
I think Niko’s a great role
model for people having issues
with self doubt. Sometimes
people think they are not good
enough for “this” or “that”, some
people just think that those
peop le who a re g rea t i n
something were just born with
the talent to do it. Niko is an
exception to that statement, to
that common negativity that
most people have. He is an
inspiration to those who have
big dreams for themselves, that
even though he is faced against
all these odds, of being short in
terms of Basketball, he is still
moving forward towards his goal
and that is what we need. We
need someone like Niko to look
up to and open up our hearts
and be encouraged and be
brave to face our challenges to
reach our goals. Like Niko said,
“Keep moving forward.” ✓
Meet the writers
Anton Escolin, Peeking At Glory
Hannah Gana, A Night Under The Stars
Raven Lingat, JTA-Okay
Jason Yodong, Keep Moving Forward
We hope you enjoy your first year in the
Ateneo!