PUP will Fight on the 21st SCUAA

Though PUP failed to win as the champion in State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association (SCUAA) for the past years, it has never quit on believing that someday they will reach the highest position in the competition.

The said event will held its 21^st annual competition on January 26-31 with Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology (EARIST) as the host school.

The University shows confidence of well-trained and prepared athletes joining the sports competition with OIC Dean Celia Rilles assisted by Chairperson on Sports Jose Mel Bernarte of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines' College of Physical Education and Sports.

In an interview with the College of Physical Education and Sports (CPES) heads about the University's preparation for the SCUAA, they shared that PUP is doing a year-round training.

Athletes, new or old, are disciplined, trained, and prepared not just when a competition is near but as soon as they were accepted as official athletes of the school.

As preparations, the University joins invitational, open meet, goodwill tournaments and tune-up games. With these kinds of matches, PUP athletes take advantage of the experience to feel the competition more by playing against different schools and universities. Knowing the opponents' capacity and ability and meeting other athletes personally are good training for the players.

EARIST, RTU, Philippine State College of Aeronautics (PHILSCA), Technological University of the Philippines (TUP), Philippine Normal University (PNU), Marikina Polytechnic College (MPC), and PUP are the roster of state colleges and universities that will be competing for the following sports: softball, soccer, baseball, basketball, volleyball, beach volleyball, badminton, lawn tennis, table tennis, swimming, arnis, karate-do, taekwando, sepak takraw, chess, dance sports, and pep squad cheering

Chairperson Bernarte also revealed that PUP's greatest contender to win the SCUAA is last year's overall champion, Rizal Technological University (RTU). He also admitted that RTU is well-prepared for the competition and is aiming to keep the title.

Nevertheless, PUP will do its best. "With the support of PUP President Dante Guevarra, top administrative officials, and our alumni, we will win this year," Prof. Bernarte stated as he hopes to bag the SCUAA's overall championship title this year.

To strengthen the camaraderie and develop sportsmanship, SCUAA adapts the homw and away cocpet wherein various competitions will be held in different venues among the participating schools. For example, the Polytechnic University of the Philippines will be the venue for the swimming competition.

One of the much awaited feature in the opening ceremonies of SCUAA is the field demonstration participated in by 800 to 1000 P.E. students from each of the member schools.

Also, a sports exhibition among administrative employees and faculty members (ADFA) of the seven schools will be held a week before the opening.