26/09/2024
๐๐๐๐'๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ 2024 ๐๐ข๐๐ค๐ฌ ๐จ๐๐
๐๐๐ฉ๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ 25, 2024 - Banging Drums, popping fireworks, and colorful jerseys. These were the things that Guagua National Colleges Incorporated (GNCI) student-players noticed while they marched around Guagua, Pampanga, to represent their teams for this Home Games 2024.
After the exhausting examination season, the GNC declared its home game with the theme: "Battle of Capampangan Athletes: Building Character, Brewing Champions," to which they took it off with an opening parade, as GNCians anticipated and were excited about the return of the Annual Home Games for the first time after the occurring pandemic back in 2020.
Around 7:30 am, the covered court was full of students, teaching staff, coaches, and committees that would be part of the opening parade. Furthermore, players prepared for the march and held balloons and banners that presented their respective clubs, strands, grade levels, and fields with friendly smiles and lively qualities.
After a while, the march officially began, where each student-player marched with their glamorous muses in front of them as they walked along different routes up to the plaza with their balloons waved high and banners showcased. Despite the traffic around the town, some members of the student-level council and teaching officials monitored the students to prevent any delay that may cause more traffic.
After an hour, the players got back to the Covered Courts. Although some students were exhausted from the sun's scorching heat, this didn't change their spirit to play and scream out their representing fields or strands for the next part of the program.
Around 8:40 am, all student-athletes settled down at the school's covered courts, where the opening program for Homes Games 2024 started. Before the program, an opening prayer was conducted by the president of the Student Catholic Action (SCA) chapter, Mr. John Jasper L. Ibay.
In her welcoming remarks, GNCI president, Ms. Geraldine G. Lim, greeted a pleasant morning to all fellow GNC students, as well as the school's teaching and non-teaching officials. In her greetings, Ms. Lim ensured that the safety and welfare of every player will be prioritized and managed during the event, wherein she wants every student to enjoy and make new friends on this year's sports occasion.
After this, Dr. Merlita C. Razon stated in her short message that the home game would serve as a relaxation time for students from academic demands and work for a temporary period. Meanwhile, Dr. Jane P. Valencia, a guest speaker for the opening program, also articulated that sports are not only about attitude, skills, and character but about resiliency in every play.
"Not just about quantity, but the power it breaks in quality, my team once said, 'It is not just about the skills and character' and sports is not about attitude, as you can never be resilient without being resilient in sports," said by Dr. Valencia.
Furthermore, players also pledged for fair play during the event as they raised their right hands for the oath-taking of sportsmanship, led by Mr. John Carlo Escueta, who won a medal before in the National (PRISAA) 2023.
Around 9:50 am, athletes who once participated in competitions from the National Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) and Central Luzon Regional Athletic Association (CLARAA) brought colors to the program's torch-bearing ceremony, as they light the fire which symbolizes the start of this year's Home Games. In addition, the GNC dance troupe also packed colors and life into their performance for this program with rhythmic hip-hop moves and smooth salsa-like motion, amazed and appreciated by many GNCians.
Moreover, muses from various departments also shouted and represented their specialized field and grade levels as they showed their distinct personalities on stage. Afterwards, the awarding commenced, wherein the Black Phoenix's Muses won the Best Muses award for the junior high school department, while the Grade 11 of Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) also won Best Muse for the senior high school department.
Additionally, the sports coordinator of this year's Home Games, Eduardo V. Gozun, concluded that "Winning doesn't matter" -and that loss means having better luck next time, as he officially closed the opening program and declared the battle of the best in the Home Games to begin.
More importantly, the event will last until the 1st day of October, so players give their best shot and be in the spirit of sportsmanship in this year's Home Games 2024.
โ๏ธ: Zardy Gabriel Andaya, Geruel Garcia, James Andrei Alvarado, Hanica Geline Tiamzon
๐ท: Stanley Magano
