Adamson Pep Squad in the 2024 UAAP Cheerdance Competition.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — After ending a two-year podium drought, Adamson Pep Squad seeks to build on from its silver medal finish in the 2024 UAAP Cheerdance Competition to soar to the top next season.
Adamson finished behind newly-minted eight-time champion National University Pep Squad, making the 19,121 fans at Mall of Asia Arena sing to its karaoke hits-inspired routine including songs like Sampaguita’s Bonggahan, Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive, and Abba’s Dancing Queen during Sunday’s midseason spectacle.
NU Pep Squad topped all departments with 713 points, while Adamson’s lively routine placed second with 679.5 points — the second least deduction with three points.
READ: NU Pep Squad reclaims UAAP Cheerdance title
Adamson coach Jam Lorenzo is grateful to be back on the podium but he wants his team to take it as a challenge and motivation to win their second crown since their breakthrough run in 2017.
“Sinabi ko sa team kanina bago sila lumabas ng arena. We’re one step behind the gold so it’s a challenge for us to sustain the program and also to develop it pa for us to come up with a routine na kaya mag-champion ulit,” said Lorenzo, who steered Adamson to its sixth podium finish in the last eight seasons.
“Sobrang overwhelmed kami sobrang thankful sa blessing na ito na nakakabalik kami sa podium. Sobrang hirap, and alam namin na lahat ng sacrifices namin for the past seasons,” he added.
Returning to the top three wasn’t an easy task for Lorenzo as he had to build a mentally strong team and unique routine to rise from their two-season podium absence.
“Every year kasi people come and go sa team. Adjustment talaga yung challenge everday. Iba-ibang tao at iba-ibang personality. So we only have 35 members, 25 lang yung nag-compete. Minsan may mga members kami na hindi kinakaya yung training and everything. After yung pandemic, karamihan talaga ng mga tao naapektuhan yung mental health socinonsider namin siya. So nag-change kami ng training program at some point,” he said. “For the past eight seasons, we consider it a blessing and we consider it as a lesson.”
READ: NU Pep Squad far from satisfied after record-tying win
“It can be anyone’s game naman talaga yan every year. At the end of the day, it all boils down sa pressure kung paano nyo ihahandle yung pressure kasi as coach, hindi naman namin na ma-handle pa yung takbo ng utak ng mga bata. Kung hindi, pakakalmahin lang namin sila. And of course, minomotivate pa namin sila to handle the pressure. We only work sa kung anong meron kami. Hindi naman kasi lahat talaga ng schools fortunate enough na, to be honest, nakakapagrecruit talaga ng mahuhusay na gymnast for every season para makapagcome up ka ng mas magagandang routines,” he added.
Hoping to sustain their spectacular season next year, Adamson Pep Squad captain Jeron Candol felt inspired seeing themselves back on the top three, recalling his rookie year in 2022 when they placed third in the return of the CDC in the pandemic era with restrictions.
“Bumalik ako sa unang taon ko sa UAAP Season 84 kasi yun nagsilver din kamin nun. Parang pag-tawag din kanina, sabi ko ito yung nangyari nung 2022. So sobrang nagpapasalamat kami sa Panginoon kasi nasungkit namin makabalik sa podium,” Candol said. “Yung routine namin nabuo po namin. Yun po yung goal namin.”