[First of a series]
WILL the proverb "The early bird gets the worm" hold true for the UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe in its quest to reclaim long-lost glory in the UAAP Cheerdance Competition championship crown?
As soon as the summer auditions ended and the coaches completed the process of sorting out which newcomers will complete the lineup for this year's CDC. Salinggawi bucked down to work on its routine.
UST head coach Mark Chaiwalla explained, "One major difference we did this year is that we started training as early as May. We added more coaches so that there would be more minds working, and more eyes checking on the routine."
In the hope of working their way to the top, the eight-time champions will unleash a brand-new version of themselves that is a refreshing sight for the cheerleading community.
Captain Rowell Mauricio added, "Maaga talaga naming tinapos 'yung routine, so more time to polish. Since summer, may lineup na, and we had a very intense preparation — sobrang pukpukan."
Despite the fact that half of the team are rookies, the 28-year-old mentor assured that people could look forward to a "faster and sharper" Salinggawi this time around. They pushed themselves to the limit, increasing their routine's difficulty level.
Down to his final year, Captain Rowell lives up to his "big brother" figure and does his best to raise the morale of his younger teammates whenever he can.
He said, "Sinasabihan naming sila [rookies] kung anong dapat gawin and what to expect every pep talk, pero ine-enjoy ko na lang din kasi last ko na 'to. Di ko na magagawa 'to sa susunod."
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