NU showing no signs of slowing down with another UAAP cheerdance crown

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—National University has been so dominant in the UAAP Cheerdance Competition for the past several years that it sees itself as its toughest competition.

Ghicka Bernabe, head coach of the NU Pep Squad, led her team to its sixth title in seven years and she said the key to sustaining success is to never settle from being No. 1.

“We always want to beat the champions from the previous year (tinatalo namin kung sino ang champion last year),” said Bernabe in Filipino after NU won the UAAP Season 82 cheerdance title Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena.

“We know that we won’t have other competitors but ourselves. This isn’t bragging because you know that you’re the best but I know the skills of my athletes. We know ourselves and we know how to beat ourselves, that’s why we always do the best we can.”

(Hindi ito yung mayabang ka dahil kayo ang pinakamagaling. Kilala namin mga sarili namin kung ano ang skills ng mga bata. Kami lang din naman ang nakakakilala sa amin, alam namin kung paano kami tatalunin kaya ibinibgay namin best namin.”

NU scored a total of 722 points with its Michael Jackson-inspired routine that pushed the envelope in terms of the degree of difficulty.

The NU Pep Squad topped all categories in the competition, which included tumbling, stunts, tosses, pyramids, and dance.

The squad took its performance to another level when its trademark ‘Scorpion’ pose became a mere transition piece to a breathtaking toss from several pyramid formations.

Bernabe said that NU won’t show any letup despite adding another hardware to its growing trophy room knowing that they moved another step from becoming one of the winningest cheerdance teams in the UAAP.

NU is two titles away from tying University of Santo Tomas and University of the Philippines both of which have eight Cheerdance championships.

“There’s no way but up,” said Bernabe. “Even if we become the champion consecutively, we won’t stop from learning. We won’t stop training, we’ll strive harder in our craft.”

(Kahit mag-champion kami nang paulit-ulit hindi kami mag-stop na matuto. Hindi tayo mag-stop na mag-training. Mag-strive hard ka sa trabaho mo.)

“For us, the championship is just a title, but the pride and love we give to each other are the things that make us winners.”