The Thomasian Goodwill Games for academic year 2012-2013 officially started with its opening ceremonies last August 28 at the Quadricentennial Pavilion covered court.
A program of the UST Institute of Physical Education and Athletics (IPEA), the multi-sport event aims to promote unity, friendship, and discipline among students of all colleges. The inter-collegiate event is also a good chance for the school’s sports officials to discover new talent from the large pool of student athletes.
Although the players consider the games as a needed break from academics, the competition is also something very important to them.
“Siyempre, di naman pwede puro aral lang, kailangan din may sports para mas-balanse ang growth namin bilang mga estudyante,” Serine Alejandro of the AB Volleyball team told TomasinoWeb.
Niko Biagtan, a forward for the AB Basketball squad, sees it as an opportunity to get better and reclaim bragging rights after Engineering beat CTHM last season to win the cage plum. “Almost everyday ang training namin at lahat kami nagsisipag para makamit ang championsip.”
“May rason kung bakit UST ang parating nananalo ng UAAP overall championship, hindi kami tumitigil sa pag-scout ng mga player na may potensyal,” said IPEA member Franciso Anselmo, a former co-chairman of the Goodwill Games.
The Thomasian Goodwill Games will run for the whole academic year. This first semester, volleyball games are held, while basketball, football, and beach volleyball will be held for the second semester. All games will have men’s and women’s categories.
By Nicolo Paolo A. Pascual
Photo taken by Gelli Ann J. Javellana
