Bringing their "A" game: Ateneo Women's Basketball Team fills Dean's List amid suspended season

Under a new head coach, the Ateneo Women’s Basketball Team proves that their players embody excellence and magis on and off the court.

The ongoing pandemic has paralyzed many facets of society, including education and sports. Students are forced to stay home and study online as campuses are shut down, while athletes are forced to have their careers on standby as games continue to be postponed. The circumstances pose an even more difficult precedent for those involved in both fields: student-athletes. Besides the disruption of their athletic progress, student-athletes have to find a new approach to their already hectic priorities and schedules as physical classes and practices seem far from returning. Ateneo student-athletes, in particular, are strained with adjusting to a brand new quarterly academic system, different from the traditional semestral system, whilst keeping their bodies fit amid a suspended UAAP season.
 
In spite of these challenges, one Ateneo team was able to excel not on the scorecards, but on their respective report cards during the past online semester. The Ateneo Women’s Basketball Team (AWBT) garnered seven honor students in the first semester of school year 2020-2021, one of whom achieved First Honors. Sandra Villacruz accomplished the highest honor on the Dean’s List, while Angel Gino-gino, LJ Miranda, Sofia Navarro, Jel Jajurie, Dyna Nieves, and team captain Selina de Dios all accomplished Second Honors in their respective programs.

Team captain de Dios reminisced about classes being called off in mid-March, and as  suspended days turned into weeks, some of her peers were losing the motivation to train. De Dios said, “It was really just a matter of ‘how do we best adjust?’ Or ‘how do we take this a day at a time?’” For her, one of the essences of being a student-athlete is developing and sticking to a daily routine ever since she started college in Ateneo. However, the pandemic brought its disruption. De Dios revealed how fortunate she is to have well-rounded coaches and teammates who are all able to help her determine the next steps to take. “I’m also graduating, so it was really focusing on, ‘Okay, the real world is coming toward me. What’s the best course of action?’” For the captain, the pause in athletic activities challenged her to fast-track the transition to post-university life. Besides succeeding in academics, she was able to get an internship and is currently working part-time.

De Dios also lauds her teammates for excelling in various fields on top of being student-athletes. “I think we have achievers that are not just in academics,” she said. “We have achievers who are business-minded, [and others] who are artistic. [We have] a lot of achievers in different fields, and sometimes, it’s not always reflected in school.” She added that sports or academics should not be the be-all and end-all for student-athletes. Finding one’s passion may be overlooked when consumed by training or studying, which is why de Dios believes that a holistic outlook in college life is crucial.

“A culture of excellence, magis, camaraderie, being persons-for-others… I think we were able to [embody] it in spite of the pandemic, and it resulted in good grades."

The team’s resilience and flexibility in times of great uncertainty are what brought pride and gratitude to newly hired head coach, LA Mumar. Only having joined the team after the last UAAP season had ended in December 2019, Mumar has not gotten the chance to have game day preparations with the Lady Eagles. He was only able to lead physical training sessions from January until the suspension of classes, and virtual training sessions from then onwards, which are still ongoing as of writing. Despite this, Mumar recognizes the level-headedness and the holistic approach of his players when it comes to being Ateneo student-athletes. “I’m just really proud of them,” said Mumar. “I’m proud of every player that we have plowing through academics and training. It shows their character. It shows how these women are determined to reach their goals [beyond] basketball.”

The different stories of strength and redemption that Mumar hears from his AWBT players goes in line with his approach of coaching culture to the team rather than rules and restrictions. “A culture of excellence, magis, camaraderie, being persons-for-others… I think we were able to [embody] it in spite of the pandemic, and it resulted in good grades,” said the head coach. He mentions that these success stories from the players represent who they aim to be: a strong team that leans on each other on and off the court. “Our achievements are done because we’re a team,” Mumar said. “It’s because of our captains. It’s because of our assistant coaches. It’s because of every player, rookies up to seniors… It’s therapy for me to see that we’re going through this together.”

Photo courtesy of the Ateneo Women’s Basketball Team