Isaac Go stands tall on and off the court

Photo by: Jaime Campos

ISAAC Go is a perfect example of the true student-athlete.

In his third year with the Blue Eagles, Go has been able to balance his academic and athletic life well in Ateneo, an inspiring feat to sports fans and the youth alike.

The Ateneo gentle giant is taking up BS Management of Applied Chemistry (BS MAC), a management course rarely taken up by student-athletes for its demanding academic requirements in trying to understand the science and technology market.

But with the help of his family, Go chose this course as it suits his interest, his student-athlete lifestyle, and his long-term plans beyond basketball.

“Entering college, I wanted a math or a science-related course,” said Go. “But when I got into Ateneo, ang hirap ng lahat. Quota course. Me and my parents have to try and look for a balance, being able to get a good course and being able to balance it with basketball.

“So that left me with BS MAC. The management side of BS MAC will help me more in the future,” he added.

Athletes use their talent in sports to get a good education. In the UAAP, a student-athlete must maintain a certain academic requirement in order to stay with the school team. In Go’s case, he’s managing to maintain that balance and making it look easy.

During the UAAP offseason, Go is focused on his academic life in order to maintain his scholarship. When basketball season arrives, he strikes a balance between his studies, practices, and games.

A usual day in the life of Go the student-athlete during the basketball season starts early, waking up usually at around 7 a.m. in order to make it for his 9 a.m. morning classes. After studying, Go eats for lunch, before getting either a nap or getting treatment for his body in preparation for the tough grind of basketball practices and games.

At around 3 p.m., Go gets ready for practice where the team goes to watch game clips, do skills training or lift weights. Practice proper for the Blue Eagles begins at 6 p.m.

Like a normal student, Go also experiences difficulties at times in balancing his academic and athletic duties, but with the help of his teammates, he is able to survive the rigors of being a student-athlete.

Having a coach like Ateneo mentor Tab Baldwin that emphasizes on academics also goes a long way for him, according to Go.

“I think it’s still a challenge pero kaya naman especially when you have teammates and a family that help me. When you have a coach like coach Tab that says you have to balance, he makes sure that we balance it,” said Go.

Go noted the importance of having a good education, knowing that a basketball career won’t last a lifetime. He is also bent of graduating with a degree in Ateneo.

“It opens extra opportunities for me. I focus on basketball because there is a possibility of a career. But it’s good that you have something to fall back on because, of course, basketball doesn’t last forever,” Go said.