Roxas City Diary Monday October 24

Arrived in Roxas City, Capiz today for the University Games. The ride was pretty quick (took PAL) except that the turbulence made the flight seem to go on forever. I usually prefer morning flights as they more often than not are on time. The problem with that is I have to get up pretty early and that is a killer on my sleep time. Well, hanging out in the airport was easier as I caught up with Alvin Ocampo (football, the UFL, and stuff).

It's my first time ever to be here in Capiz. And there's the University Games. Honestly, I wasn't quite enthusiastic about going here. Have a lot of things to do back in Manila and being here means it's not going to get done. Anyways, I'm here and I thought about (one of my writing influences) Rick Reilly when he first covered the Olympics in Athens in 2004. He had to move from one venue to another to cover as much sporting events as he could. Not knowing what to expect more so how to go about covering this, I moved from basketball to football (I'll feature this in my column WOOLYBACK in interaksyon.com) to volleyball. When I arrived, the rains were pouring. When I went to the media center at the Colegio dela Purisima Concepcion (the lead host school) the school grounds were flooded. By 1030, the sun was out. What I great way to get sick, I thought to myself. Memo: travel light and carry only what you need lest it weigh you down. Returned to my hotel around 3pm and crashed out. Was glad to catch up on some zzzs. By day's end, I had it figured out and should do better.

Saw this shirt for sale at the Villareal Stadium. So are they for real?

With the Ateneo Men's Volleyball Team at the Capiz State University Gym.

Facts about the University Games

Founded in 1996 by Brother Rolando Dizon, FSC, then president of University of Saint La Salle in Bacolod City

Games are a Visayas-based national event. USLS serves as the main office and has hosted all annual games except in 2003 when the games were held at De La Salle-Dasmariñas (Cavite).

USLS has hosted the games nine times from 1996 to 1999, 2011, and 2004-07.

Foundation University (Dumaguete) hosted in 2000, 2002, and 2008. Central Philippine University (Iloilo) was home to the games in 2009 while Silliman University (Dumaguete) hosted the event last year.

Colegio dela Purisima Concepcion, home to the games for 2011, is the first college to host the Unigames.

The Philippine Sports Commission has identified the Unigames as a vital link in the development of a grassroots-based national sports program and considers it the PSC’s official tertiary games. The event is now called the PSC-University Games.

In 2011, volleyball has the most number of entries with 24 teams entered in the men’s division and 18 in the women’s division. That is followed by men’s athletics and men’s basketball which have 17 teams each.

The University of the Philippines and the College of Saint Benilde have the most number of teams fielded with 15.