MANILA, Philippines—If the cheering competition is a basketball game, it would be equivalent to the last two minutes with your team’s score tied with the opponent’s. There’s no room for mistakes. Every single move is crucial, every second a chance to make a stellar stunt. A simple blunder could blow the shot at the grand prize.

It’s true that the essence of cheerleading is to encourage the audience to participate in the game through, well, cheering. At best, they are the exhibition during half-times of basketball games.

But these cheerleaders are athletes in their own right. It takes them months of practice to perfect pyramids, tosses and tumbling passes for a five-minute performance. They risk incurring injuries and the mockery of the fans from the opposing side.

Most of all, they have to make their jobs look easy. They have to show off their toothy smiles, even with twisted ankles or when their team is down by 20 points.

Next week, the cheerleaders are taking center stage at the upcoming University Athletic Association of the Philippines cheering competition. Eight teams will carry their school pride on their shoulders. The 71st season UAAP cheering competition is on Sept. 7, 2 p.m., Araneta Coliseum. Bring it on!

UP PEP SQUAD

As the reigning and defending champions, they are the team to beat.

This is a team with members who don’t limit themselves to UAAP. Seven of them represented our country along with other cheerdancers from different schools, including ADMU, in a cheerleading competition held in Japan.

The squad says this is the year it will take cheerdancing towards a new direction. The members are super-excited to perform a one-of-a-kind routine, which they’ve been perfecting all year round.

They say it’s their passion, faith and love for what they are doing that had helped them win four titles and that have made them a consistent contender. But besides dancing, tumbling and training together, they say they are a family that sticks with each other and covers each other’s backs all the way.

The UP Pep Squad will be fighting like crazy to win this year’s competition, and the next, and the next, and the next…

Coach: Lalaine “Lala” Perena
Captains: Angel Sison, Inad Donillo
Shoutout: Thank you for the support and faith you continue to give us. We won’t be UP Pep if not for you. UP Fight!

UST SALINGGAWI DANCE TROUPE

With eight titles under their belt, they have created quite a record in cheerleading history. They were gunning for a six-peat victory last year when a mere .5 difference shattered their dreams.

A few days after that, they were rocked with a controversial photo that circulated over the Internet. The issue was quickly addressed within the community. The guilty parties were reprimanded and proper action was taken. After that, the remaining members were given strict orders to keep their silence despite all the angry mails that flooded their inboxes.

The one thing that buoyed the group during their lowest point was the love and respect their fellow Thomasians had for them. They are thankful at the non-stop support; some fans even went as far as printing T-shirts of support for the team.

Although losing was a hard lesson they had to re-learn, it also left them motivated to work harder. They are aware that the slightest mistake they commit during half-time ends up in discussion forums. Now more than ever, they feel that all eyes are on them.

They know that the level of competition increases each year as the other squads keep getting better. The group says they are not expecting another title, but will accept whatever is God’s will.

Adviser: Edna Sanchez
Choreographer: Ryan Silva
President: Marvin Wynant
Shoutout: To all the Thomasians, we’ll do our best for you!

FEU CHEERING SQUAD

This is a team that understands that perfection is not achieved overnight. They started to work on their routine as early as April. In fact, this is the only group that has completed the whole routine a month before the competition.

The head start allowed the squad to have more time to perfect and double-check every single movement, until it became second nature to them. They know they have to perform their usual clean executions, since having 17 rookies in the team is simply not an excuse.

To shine individually is intolerable. Everything about them is team effort. The dancers can take some but not all the credit for consistently having been part of the top three UAAP squads all these years. They have the Green Bison who beats the drums for them whenever they need it, and the Boosters who lead the cheering on the sidelines with their golden hankies and their own synchronized hand movements.

The one-time champs are determined to be this year’s best. They feel that the fans would also welcome the change.

Coach: Jacqueline Alolor
Captain: Jon Erik Reyes
Shoutout: Watch out for the blazing Tamaraws and our new routine!

ATENEO BLUE BABBLE BATTALION (BBB)

This squad has been consistently performing at its best form, only to fall short of a place in the top three. The members are tired of “almost made it” moments and are aching for a win. They say this is the year they will go all out for it. They will steer clear of the safe routines they’ve become familiar with and take on more risky stunts.

They are also working as hard to win the hearts of the Ateneo community. Though the numbers of their supporters grow each year, they still feel that their efforts are underestimated. They are hoping that their schoolmates would support not only the basketball team but other athletes, including them, as well.

Coach: Randell San Gregorio
Captains: Mary Immanuel Therese Dizon, Jan Pauline San Juan, Jose Antonio Canoy

Message board: Please support us because whenever our team is down and out, we’re there for you in the form of cheering. Just watch us and we’re sure we can give you a good show. We are doing this for you and God. For the athletes of Team Ateneo, you know the difference in having someone to watch and cheer for you!

On other teams: We hope for a healthy competition with no injuries. We want to win when our opponents are at their peak. We want to win because we’re the best and not because others got injured.

ADAMSON PEP SQUAD

They will go to great lengths to perform their stunts. They made jaws drop in 2006 when they first performed the “carousel” toss. There’s a big chance they’ll wow the audience the same way this year. That is, if they complete their routine in time for the competition.

Two weeks before the big day and they are still trying to find solid feet for a three-level pyramid. The rehearsals started late because they finalized their lineup of dancers only a month ago. The members are making up for lost time by doubling their hours of training. They are confident they will make it.

The squad says that having their choreographer back has allowed them to focus on their training instead of wasting hours trying out different ideas and concepts. This is also the first year that they required all members of the squad to learn some gymnastic skills. Their team used to get by with only a few members doing the tumbling pass.

This is one team everyone should look out for, especially with their heart-stopping stunts. It’s very possible for them to reclaim a spot in the top three.

Coaches: Rommel Tilbe, Mark Donelle Rabanal
Captains: Jazzen Marie Regala, Patrick Paul Espa
Shoutout: This is our time!

DLSU ANIMO SQUAD

This is a new squad—a team created solely for the purpose of redeeming last year’s cheerdance disaster. The members were recruited from two existing dance groups in La Salle. Only six remain from the original pep squad.

They have never performed in a UAAP half-time. The group is now called White Jackets; the pep squad you saw the whole season was the Green Jackets.

The members say they want to be ready before others get to judge them. They’re virtually starting from scratch. They have to learn how to lift, toss and perform gymnastic skills, since most members’ background is in dance. Their biggest critics are members of the school administration who closely monitor their progress through a weekly performance.

A scene during a recent practice could, perhaps, best describe this squad. One of the flyers got cramps while practicing. She was wincing in pain and had to stop for a minute. But against the advice of her teammates, she went back to dance her part before the routine was over.

They lack experience and exposure, but this new team has plenty of heart.

Coach: Peter Alcedo Jr.
Captain: Totie Martinez
Shoutout: This is not just for us but for One La Salle!

NU PEP SQUAD

One of the biggest changes in this squad is its attitude. Gone are the days when they were too tired and defeated to complete a solid “Liberty” lift, even in practices. This year, the members look more confident, less stressed out.

It could be because they have an almost complete line-up; only one of their all their dancers are ineligible to join. Their team was crippled last season when a new rule that prohibited high school students in the competition was imposed. Seven of their dancers were automatically disqualified.

They have two new coaches and an adviser that help focus on their training and routines. This has resulted in better, more confident routines. Lastly, they’re getting more support from the school administration this year. They feel more cared for and important to the school.

If they were able to perform with such tenacity last year, who knows what the revitalized NU Pep Squad can come up with this year?

Adviser: Negs Garcia
Coaches: Mikey Dela Cruz, Lester Go
Captains: Luisa Santos, Jhaybee Gasillos

Message board: We wish everyone would go out and watch us perform. Our goal is to make everybody, including those from other schools, enjoy our performance. Our short-term goal is to become the most improved team. The long-term goal, of course, is to win a championship.

UE PEP SQUAD

One of the biggest challenges for this squad is adjusting to the new rules of competition. When they found out that this year will have more traditional cheerleading and less dancing, they had to shift their focus to gymnastic skills.

It’s almost like going back to zero, because not all of them knew how to do tumbling passes at the beginning of the year. Now, almost everybody can do it. The boys are also more willing to join in the dance routines to keep things more interesting.

Two weeks before the competition, this squad is still trying to complete its routine. But history tells us that the UE PEP Squad thrives with deadlines hanging over its head. The members only hope that no injuries would happen to them before the competition, because two members have already been declared ineligible. Having said that, they’re eyeing a nifty place in the top three.

Adviser: Paulita Idian
Acting coaches: Allan Galvez, Jason Nietes
Captains: Patricia Bianca J. Martin
Shoutout: Our faith can make it happen. We just want to perform for our school and for people who believe that we are a team they can be proud of.