UAAP wants schools to vie in all events

MANILA, Philippines - The University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) will religiously encourage its members to participate in all of the league’s events, a goal the organization would like to achieve in the near future.

“It’s the UAAP’s objective to see all of its member schools fielding teams in the men’s and women’s and juniors’ divisions of the 15 sports on the program,” said UAAP Season 76 president Fr. Maximino Rendon, CM, of host Adamson University.

At present, only five sports in the seniors division have a complete roster from the eight member schools – Adamson University, Ateneo, De La Salle, Far Eastern University (FEU), University of the East (UE), National University, University of the Philippines (UP) and University of Santo Tomas (UST).

These sports are men’s and women’s basketball, indoor and beach volleyball, badminton and chess. In juniors, only chess and basketball have full participation.

With that goal, the UAAP would continue to defer action on the inclusion of other sports, notably golf and gymnastics – like most of the other disciplines on the UAAP program – are Olympic sports.

“That means at the moment, the UAAP would not entertain any notion on the inclusion of new sports, including golf and gymnastics,” said Season 76 secretary-treasurer Ma. Luisa Isip also of Adamson University.

Isip said each of the member schools are trying to achieve a full contingent to make the league more competitive especially in the race for the general championship. Perennial overall champions UST and De La Salle and UP have teams in all events, thus giving them an advantage for the general championship.

Swimming has no participants from FEU and NU in both the men’s and women’s divisions, while Adamson University hasn’t formed a squad for the men’s contest.

NU, the team that has undergone the biggest buildup particularly in basketball, volleyball and tennis, have yet to take part in judo (men and women), football (women), fencing (women) and athletics (men and women).

In taekwondo, Adamson is not maintaining a men’s and women’s team and FEU and UE a poomsae squad. FEU also doesn’t have a team in judo.

Football, which has gained popularity, is incomplete – Adamson doesn’t have a men’s and women’s team and UE and FEU a women’s squad – and so is lawn tennis – no Adamson and FEU in the men’s and no UE, Adamson and FEU in the women’s.

Fencing has been missing FEU and Adamson in the men’s and FEU, Adamson and NU in the women’s. Softball has seven teams – sans FEU – and baseball six – without FEU and UE.