When pettiness prevails... | A retrospective on the AdNU 2024 Intramurals

This year, some people are left wondering, what is the main objective of the intramurals? 

It has been reiterated by the Vice President of Higher Education (VPHE) that “intramurals is formation,” but what exactly does “formation” mean? Admittedly, this year’s AdNU League fosters a more healthy approach in the competition of the teams, yet it is also undeniable that there are still people taking competition to the next level, to the point where the goals for fun, sportsmanship, and the place for everyone to form bonds are unfortunately left in the concept paper.

However, it is not due to the incumbent AdNU Supreme Student Government’s (SSG) lack of preparation and implementation. There just came a point where misunderstanding and the heavy surge of emotions got the best of players, participants, and even supporters—again, taking the competition to a whole nother level and completely missing the point of the formation purpose of this activity. 

Now, let me ask these questions and let yourselves decide if it’s “formation” or “petty?”

Is it people for others if teams want to disqualify other competitors just to increase their chances of winning?

What’s even the purpose, and what’s the gain? Is it to win? If so, is it really necessary to take someone’s efforts, use resources, and spend funds in preparation for the events? Now, take the time to think that other teams spend months and months of training just to be able to give their best performances in their respective events. Since people let their egos get the best of them, all of the hardships were wasted because of the vote or a decision disqualifying them—a hefty deduction of points seems more compassionate than totally taking the teams’ chance to even perform or play.

We get that there are guidelines, but where’s the empathy, and is it worth disregarding the other teams’ efforts just to pave the way for someone else’s selfish victory?

Arrogance is not the type of “formation” we would like to flourish in Ateneo. 

Nonetheless, there were circumstances where the sanctions fit the crime, such as the alleged issue where a person "punched" someone during an event. Moreover, other people said that it only happened because the perpetrator was provoked by the other person—if so, both of them are responsible for their actions. Incidents like this must not be tolerated; this is assault, and people who have uncontrollable aggressive tendencies need some help clearing their minds. 

Violence is not the type of “formation” we would like to flourish in Ateneo. 

Is it people for others if students normalize airing out their hateful comments or risque fantasies to random individuals?

The birth of the AdNU Freedom Wall was a surprising touch to ADNL Season 1’s overall experience. It is a good way to practice freedom of speech and stay updated on the university’s current trends. But, as we practice this freedom, we must also be mindful of the responsibility that is attached to it. We are liable for the words we say, but the accountability of the posted sentiment is sadly hidden in anonymity, and the moderation of contents is also ineptly supervised.

For example, the prevalent names of contestants or players during the event garner some very uncomfortable and concerning comments about them. Even the whole Ateneo community probably knows some random story about someone’s intimate relationship because of the page, which could be an unnecessary overshare with the public. Moreover, dismissive and loathsome entries from the wall may invalidate, humiliate, and hurt people's feelings. 

How will people be held accountable for their hateful words if they are concealed behind the walls of social media? I’m not saying that posting your thoughts on social media anonymously is a grim crime, but it could be detrimental if people keep posting harmful and nasty stuff for everyone’s entertainment.

Insensitivity is not the type of “formation” we would like to flourish in Ateneo. 

Is it people for others to mock or provoke teams into exasperation?

In addition, trash talk also arises at many events, and this is completely normal in sports and competitions. “𝘗𝘪𝘬𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘯” and "𝘢𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯" are considered part of games, but where do we draw the line? Every intramural at AdNU, people get so passionate about winning that they forget to filter the words that they throw or the actions that they take on the field. I think when you’re in a heightened adrenaline rush, you fail to remember being humble. 

Whether you like it or not, you reading this article are as guilty as everyone else. There is no denying that the mockery of each team by one another is not because they’re passionate about winning, but rather childish and a bit petty to its core.

Being disrespectful is not the type of “formation” we would like to flourish in Ateneo. 

Lastly, is it fair to compare last year’s intramurals to this year’s league? Comparison is inevitable, but is it a justified comparison?

This year’s ADNL Season 1 was a definite improvement from last year’s fiasco; sacrifices and changes were apparent throughout, not just that this year’s organizers were more proactive than reactive in terms of problem-solving. 

The most notable development is that this year AdNU-SSG’s sponsorship and partnership were smooth sailing with minimal complaints from the businesses, concessionaires, and merchants, as of speaking. 

The bracketing system wasn’t also flawed the way it was perceived to be; it is the way it is, and even though it is reasonable to say that there is a higher chance for a team to advance in the higher rounds because of luck by default, it is not necessarily the organizer’s fault, especially if the bracket was made randomly. In addition, the bracket system was decided by the Physical Education (PE) Department and not the AdNU SSG—which makes the decision more grounded. On top of that, a round-robin system would not work as efficiently because there are too many teams for this year’s intramurals, which would probably last for a week.

The sitting capacity limit of the AdNU Gymnasium was also a justifiable implementation of safety precautions. The announcements were also posted to guide the audience, but the management could have released the protocol way prior to the events, and registration would've also been a good way to monitor the supporters’ attendance since it was suspicious to see audience members from outside Ateneo.

Lapses were acknowledged and resolved by the organizers. Yet, it is more than valid for the student body to ask for better management for next year’s intramurals that would better suit everyone’s liking. Everyone's opinion and suggestions must be welcomed by the future organizers to perfectly encapsulate a memorable league that everyone deserves.

Thus, we must keep an open mind and be more curious about the actual planning and preparation happening behind the scenes because providing constructive criticism takes more than experiencing what’s happening to you—you must also try to see other perspectives of the stakeholders to create informed feedback that is not solely based on your opinion.

Going back to the main question, what is the main objective of the intramurals? Have you decided and contemplated if we did have a formation this year, or was it all pure bliss of ignorance and pettiness? 

All the efforts and time spent by the teams are duly recognized and appreciated. Understandably, the teams have this intense urge to win or place in the final rankings, but the process of attaining that must also be healthy and aligned with the formative procedures that the activity is trying to obtain. Being cutthroat just to get good results without being sensitive to others does not sound like being people for others. 

Hopefully, next year, we can learn our lessons in creating a more inclusive and carefree competition where everyone and every team prevails. Finally, a warm and genuine congratulations to every student, faculty, organizer, and team; but honestly speaking, I think it's safe to say that pettiness took the crown home at the end of the intramural season.