UAAP rites focus on all sports

The University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) raises the curtain on its 2003-2004 season tomorrow, putting in focus not only the premiere men’s basketball tournament but all 14 sports in the league calendar as well.

Thus, with the other sports sharing the limelight in the colorful opening ceremonies that start 1 p.m. at the Araneta Coliseum, host Ateneo is pulling off a first in the league’s 66-year history.

Team captains of the sports of athletics, swimming, football, baseball, volleyball, chess, tennis, badminton, fencing, softball, judo, table tennis and taekwondo will parade and be feted alongside their counterparts in basketball.

The UAAP actually started putting emphasis on all 14 sports last season, but for this year, Ateneo, which is putting its best foot forward to follow up on its men’s basketball crown last season, is completing the picture by adopting a theme that borders on Olympism and all sports.

"We in the UAAP intend to give equal attention to all sports, not only men’s basketball," said UAAP president Jose Capistrano. "That way, we would like to contribute to sports development, especially that the league is in itself a developmental league."

Mikee Cojuangco Jaworski, an Ateneo alumnae, is the main guest in the opening ceremonies.