With pandemic in mind, UAAP carefully prepares for the 83rd season

With the 82nd Season was prematurely ended because of the government-imposed lockdown because of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the UAAP is now setting its sights on preparing for its next season.

For both Emmanuel Fernandez and Atty. Rebo Saguisag, they have already have their plans on closing the season as they grace the latest online forum of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Tuesday.

"Our season is connected with the school year. With the end of the school year 2019-2020, it signals the end of Season 82," said the Ateneo athletic director, in which they will turnover the hosting duties to De La Salle University in the 83rd season.

In line with that, Fernandez said that the league had already talked to broadcast partners ABS-CBN with regards to formally close the season, which was deemed cancelled last April 7 when the government announced the extension of the enhanced community quarantine that shut down basically life in Metro Manila, sports included.

However, they wanted to give tribute to those student-athletes who were not even given a chance to play because of the lockdown.

"We want to highlight the events that were not finished. At the end of the day, these athletes were part of Season 82. They existed, hindi siya biglang nawala."

It has been noted that during the cancellation, there are ten events in six sports that were halted or not played in both the High School and College divisions.

With the sports gradually returning with the rest of the world, the same could not be said for the school sports, wherein the guidelines are different from the professional scene.

"We have to give ourselves a higher standard," said the executive director, noting that the have to take note of more than one directive to contend with. "Our athletes are student-athletes. Aside from the government directive, aside from the PSC pronouncements, we also have CHED and DepEd to contend with."

"Hangga't di normal ang school year, we cannot even begin to make even concrete [plans]," he added, as they already got the guidelines set by various international governing bodies, but their focus is to put the school year in order before even talking about playing the games.

As all options already on the table, both Fernandez and Saguisag reiterated that they have already framed up plans for the entire season which will be in line with the government standards, especially by putting priorities with the directives from both the Commission on Higher Education and the Department of Education.

“We’re planning to have a full calendar, but of course, that would be dependent on the government and the schools themselves,” said Fernandez. “These are students and normalcy in the schools will take precedent.”

Added Saguisag, “We’re making plans, definitely, and that’s the target, full calendar and all events. As to the assurance, everything depends on a lot of things and first is the government regulations."

Although not yet final, the UAAP has already putting up some options with regards to it, citing numerous models including those in the Southeast Asian Games  wherein the evens were held simultaneously for two weeks.

“Kung ang volleyball season runs technically from February to May, what’s stopping the UAAP from running basketball side-by-side with the volleyball tournament? Nothing,”  said the outgoing president, in which he will turn over the office to La Salle's Emmanuel Calanog for the next season.

Photo: The UAAP (File)