IT’S the basketball season once again and so are the UAAP courtside reporters for Season 81.
Before the league's eight teams begin the battle for the championship, Spin.ph puts the spotlight on the eight courtside reporters who will roam the sidelines this season.
Three holdover and five rookies. Meet this season’s courtside reporters.
Sydney Crespo - FEU
Sydney Crespo is in her second year as courtside reporter for Far Eastern University and just like last year, she just wants to learn and have fun at the same time.
The 20-year-old AB Communications student couldn’t be any happier the second time around.
“I’m thankful that I was given the chance to, again, represent my school because ‘yun talaga ang isa sa mga goals ko when I was in Season 80,” she said.
After one season as courtside reporter, Sydney learned how to shake off the negative comments and to just do her best every time she goes on cam.
“Pinakanatutunan ko last season is I have to be confident of who I really am, I just have to listen to the right people, don’t mind the bashers and don’t mind the negative people,” she said.
Migs Gomez - UE
After his rookie year, Migs Gomez plays the role of a ‘kuya’ to this season’s newcomers.
“‘Yun na rin ang role namin to be good advisers sa mga bago but at the same time to be family para sa kanila,” he said.
“At saka magagaling ‘yung limang bago so hindi naman sila nahirapan,” he added.
Although he’s from the University of the Philippines, Migs has embraced his role as the University of the East courtside reporter.
“UE never runs out of surprises, nagulat ako noong first year ako how the people accepted me,” said Migs, 21.
Miguel Dypiangco - NU
In his second year as courtside reporter for National University, Miguel Dypiangco can tell he’s not jittery anymore - for now at least.
Dyp, a BA Broadcast Communications student from the University of the Philippines, has already learned the ropes on how to be an effective courtside reporter.
“Actually ngayon kapag sinabi ko sa’yo wala (akong kaba) pero sa actual day baka kabahan ulit ako,” he said.
“May kaba pa rin pero right now I can say na I’m more confident and mas alam ko na kasi how to go about the reporting, alam ko na ‘yung mga dapat ko ng sabihin sa TV,” he added.
Just like Migs, he also shares what her learned to the courtside rookies.
“Usually nagbibigay kami ng tips kasi marami na kaming na experience last year kasi pwede ka magpractice before hand pero the actual game iba na ang nangyayari and sama-sama kami nagwo-work shop,” he said.
Aiyana Perlas - La Salle
From being a gymnast to cheerleader, Aiyana Perlas is now a courtside reporter.
The incoming second-year AB Psychology student at La Salle will be this season’s courtside reporter for the Green Archers.
She found a path to her newfound passion early this year when she joined a VJ search.
“Gusto ko sana mag-Animo Pep but then I joined the Myx VJ search 2018 and doon ko na realize na, wow I like hosting din pala,” she said.
“Parang passion ko siya, so sa tingin ko I can merge hosting and sports through UAAP courtside reporting so I tried it out,” she added.
Taking on a new challenge, Aiyana, 19, is excited for what’s in store for her.
“I look forward to learning new sports,” she said.
Frannie Reyes - Ateneo
Becoming a courtside reporter is something that’s no longer surprising for Frannie Reyes, who came from a basketball-crazy family.
The third-year AB Management Economics from Ateneo will be this season’s courtside reporter for the Blue Eagles.
“For me after watching UAAP for a very long time I’m excited to be playing a bigger role than just being a spectator,” she said.
Despite the big crowd and social media hype on the UAAP, Frannie, who’s turning 20 next month, is up for the challenge.
“I’m expecting myself to be nervous because it’s a big crowd, a big audience, it’s one thing to see the crowd in the arena, it’s another thing to be taken into consideration,” she said.
“There’s a lot of people watching online and on TV so I guess expectations ko for myself as a reporter, it’s my job to give relevant and interesting information that the audience will appreciate,” she added.
Makyla Chavez - UST
Out of almost 200 hundred applicants, Makyla Chavez is just happy to be chosen as the courtside reporter for University of Santo Tomas.
For the first-year AB Asian Studies student, making it to the final cut felt like going through an eye of a needle.
“We were around 200 applicants vying for the eight spots, it was really tough because you’ll never gonna know if you’ll get in ‘till you get an email or a message and luckily I am here,” she said.
Although it’s her first time to be a UAAP courtside reporter, Makyla, 19, wasn’t really new to the job.
“In UST there’s an official sports show it’s called the Front Runners and I am the official host of the said show, so it’s about sports,” she said.
Sam Corrales - UP
Sam Corrales will take on a new role for the University of the Philippines four years after being a member of the UP Pep Squad.
The graduating Journalism student will be this season’s courtside reporter for the Fighting Maroons.
“I tried to audition to become a courtside reporter to have a new perspective of the league not only cheering from the audience but from the sidelines as well,” said Sam, 21.
Hoping to graduate as magna cum laude, Sam will focus more on academics and on being a courtside reporter.
Sam was a competitive figure skater during grade school and she’s been cheering for 10 years.
Cor Catibayan - Adamson University
Exciting but challenging.
That’s how Cor Catibayan described her job as courtside reporter for Adamson University.
Although she’s from University of the Philippines, Cor received a warm welcome from AdU.
“Very welcoming ‘yung Adamson community as in and very supportive din sila because I’m from UP but reporting for Adamson,” she said.
“So challenging but welcoming so it makes my job a little bit easier,” she added.
Cor, 20, insisted that she does not mind being appointed to a different university.
“All of us are willing naman kasi it’s for the experience and reporter kami hindi kami cheerleader ng school so ‘yun they said it towards the end na,” she said.
The fourth-year Broadcast Communication student will make use of the opportunity as she puts into practice what she learned from school.
“Ever since noong start pa ng college, (I thought) that’s something that I want to do because I’m taking up broadcast communication,” she said.
“This is a good way to practice the skills and lessons that I’ve learned in college so why not go for it na,” she added.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
