Speech delivered by Mr. Michael delos Reyes, High School Assistant Principal for Formation during the High School Pep Rally last August 29, 2006

      Good afternoon.

      Today we put in the spotlight sports as an important avenue for education and formation. Moreover, this is our chance to recognize the athletes who work very hard to bring honor and glory to the school.

      Athletes claim that sports are able to provide lessons that are not so obviously and readily taught in the classroom. The lessons are magnified when you take the sport seriously and take it to the competition level. To illustrate:

• Sports will force an athlete to be disciplined. After all, what will sustain you and allow you to give your 100% in the last two minutes of a game when you are already dead tired, thirsty, and maybe even discouraged?

• Sports will make you learn time management. Alejandro Torres spends 3 hours every weekday and even occasional Sunday trainings in order for he and his team to best basketball players from major schools in Metro Manila. Marc Camaligan trains for international competitions by being inside the skating rink from 10 pm to past midnight every night for 2 weeks before a competition. What is noteworthy is that these two athletes pass their work on time, study for exams and get good grades in school.

• Sports can build character. Joseph Emmanuel Ang has learned to sacrifice an easy life by foregoing his weekend morning sleep-ins because he spends Saturday and Sunday mornings training to be one of the best bowlers in the country. He understands that sacrifice is necessary for one to achieve success.

• Athletes are trained to give their 100% even if they do not feel 100% okay. Athletes learn to focus and block out distractions when the occasion calls for it. Athletes learn to withstand insults and taunts of opposing teams and still give their best.

      Our varsity athletes do not learn these lessons for free. They learn and grow because of the sweat and tears they put in with every family excursion they miss, with every barkada gimmick they have to forego, with every extra hour they have to spend studying, with every training session they attend, and with every competition they join. But our athletes are also very lucky because not all are given the great opportunity of representing the school and the country.

     To our athletes, we might not have the chance to watch your games, but we are always behind you – rooting for you. Luceat Lux! Make us proud!

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