Doubling up
AS IF committing to one team isn't enough, some Ateneans go the extra mile and do double duty for the Blue-and-White.
Back to his first love
Kirk Long (I AB IS) made a grand UAAP debut after he helped the Blue Eagles reach the Final Four. Not only did he gain the approval of other basketball players, he also won himself a multitude of fans. However, Kirk is not just a basketball player; he is also a member of the Blue Batters.
Not a newbie to baseball, Kirk started playing it at age five in the International Little League Association of Manila. He was raised in an athletic family, which explains why he excels in more than one sport.
Then again, Kirk says that he is on his teams not just to play. "I would like to use these sports to share God's love and tell people about Jesus," he says.
Though originally a batter, he was recruited by Ateneo for basketball as a guard-forward. However, once Kirk came to the University, Coach Randy Dizer and several of his old baseball teammates persuaded him to join their team, too. He eventually found himself back to his first love—baseball.
Participating in two UAAP tournaments has kept his schedule loaded. Aside from attending classes, Kirk has to think of baseball training in the morning and basketball practice in the evening.
"When I choose to be in a sports team, I dedicate myself to be the best I can be," he says.
Since he has his scholarship for basketball, Kirk isn't allowed to miss basketball practice. He was thus able to attend only four baseball training sessions prior to their first match.
Nonetheless, Kirk says his baseball teammates are very accepting. He also has never had problems regarding slots in the game.
"My teammates accept me as a player and as a teammate," he says.
Kirk missed several baseball games due to a foot injury he acquired during basketball training. But after a few days of hiatus, he is now back on the field with a vengeance. Indeed, he is a prized addition not just to the Blue Eagles, but also to the Blue Batters.
Crystal clear
The future is bright for both Ateneo's cagebelles and volleybelles with freshman Crystal Ballentyne (I AB Hum) in their ranks.
Besides having height and the talent, her coaches consider her hardworking nature as her greatest contribution to the squad. This kind of effort and determination enables her to keep up with academics and two highly-demanding sports.
"It was hard at first but I eventually got the hang of it," says the Faith Academy graduate.
Crystal joined the team right after the Lady Eagles championship run and immersed herself in heavy volleyball training, which, like basketball, she played in high school.
Due to her high school volleyball experience, officials pounced on the opportunity to invite her to the team. The thought of adding a six-foot tall player on the squad fueled the drive as well.
Crystal's arrival on a title-hungry team could not have come at a better time, with veteran Bea Pascual (II AB IS) getting injured in the middle of the season. This allowed Crystal to provide some much needed relief on the frontline as she continues to be a major part of the Lady Spikers' attacking and blocking game.
Says skipper Patti Taganas (MBA) of Crystal: "Each of us has a role here and it so happens she's been doing very well at it so our coach gives her a chance."
Though Crystal would have to divide her time in the off-season between basketball and volleyball, her teammates will be the last ones to ever come between her and her two passions.
Rackets and bats
If you can keep your head up juggling games that take place in different venues, at almost the same times and with two vastly different pieces of equipment, you've got to take some fulfillment and pride in it. So has Ivy de Castro (I BS Mgt).
Ivy first took to the tennis courts at age seven, and became a member of the Miriam College softball team as a fifth grader before rejoining it as a high school sophomore.
The years in between her stints with the Golden Gazelles were not spent idly as Ivy continued to enhance her skills in tennis, the sport she first loved.
Her constant improvement landed her a spot on the Philippine Team back in the day, and consequently, a spot in the Lady Netters' lineup. Her addition to the Lady Batters, meanwhile, was due to a tryout request from her former high school coach.
Being a dual-athlete has its share of risks and sacrifices. Besides having a greater chance of injury and losing part of her social life, Ivy's training time is split between two sports.
"I train once a week for softball … For tennis, I train either personally, or with the team, whatever fits the schedule," she says. "The tennis team practices four times a week and I try to go as much as possible."
The sacrifices continue on days when softball and tennis schedules clash. With the sports being held at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum and the UST Open Field, participating in two different games, in two different venues, at almost identical times is highly improbable. In such situations, as Ivy explains, her commitment stays with the tennis team.
"[During game conflicts], my priority goes to tennis. The softball team understands," she says.
Nevertheless, despite the unavoidable difficulties of being a dual athlete, Ivy declares that she gets a sense of pride and fulfillment from being one.
"I'm proud to be an Atenean and even prouder that I get to carry the school name in more ways than one," she says. "I feel more well-rounded and [have] more outlets for stress."