Liceolympics 2019: Where Champions are Born
by Trixie Ann B. Echavez
Liceolympics. One word; all four houses battling each other to grasp for the one of a kind crown. This event is composed of houses fighting its way to the top by its house members through earning points from joining competitive games. The houses are namely the House of Paris ─ a house that unleashes the golden victors within inhabited by the golden chimeras together with its coordinator, Patrick Jones Lim; the House of Parmenie ─ the house of the mighty griffins creating a legacy with its coordinator, Ma. Franchesca Cabrera; the House of Rheims ─ a house led by Lowe Aldrich Lomugdang together with its mighty phoenixes rising from the ashes; and last but not the least, the House of Rouen ─ a house that conquers the tides through its blue hydras and its queen, Gerelyn Poblete. The sports fest apparently started on February 19-23, 2019 on the grounds of University of St. La Salle. However, students and even the faculty of Liceo de La Salle already felt the intensity of the said event because of how fierce and lit the preparations were in accordance to the houses’ errands. People can really see and witness how competitive each of the houses were; all striving hard and not letting any information of the house get spilled to anyone to avoid mishaps. But despite of the existing war between houses, it is still evident that each and everyone, though separated by houses, still are united.
The Liceolympics Cup is an event spearheaded by the Student Activities Council; specifically by the Executive Vice-President, Samantha Louise Cuansing. She is the one who oversees and manages all activities done by the houses. On the other hand, Liceolympics is the most awaited event by everyone. For everyone, this is a huge event that happens only once a school year. Four colors doing their best, four houses vying for the trophy, the diversity that has been created was actually the path in creating harmony. The competitiveness of each houses was seen, the fire of confidence was felt, amongst the fight between the four, unity still reigned between them. Each win matters. Each point is significant. That is why even the closest of all friends, once separated by houses and gets committed as a house member, also encounters a petty fight. This cup is an activity of the Liceo de La Salle that aims to focus on enhancing the students’ skills, talents, and abilities in terms of sports and leadership. It looks forward on unleashing the champions within a student. As you can see, Liceo is composed of God-given skills and one way to showcase it is through the house activity. A house activity composed of the loudest cheerers and the boldest competitors.
Obviously, everyone is head over heels over their own houses, including me. The rest of the week was filled with sweat, hard work and determination among the athletes and students of Liceo. Different sports like football, basketball, othello and alike. The four houses did their best in competing for the points that can be acquired from these events. The update of the results from each sport is really anticipated by the four houses. Students of Liceo walked back and forth in each venue of every sports, ready to support their representatives in each houses. This is not just some cute play. This is the house wars, that is why it always hurts every time I see my house getting burned down by losing a competition; especially knowing that my house lost its House Cup Champion title and getting the fourth place for the Liceolympics event. Nevertheless, it was a one great fight.
No matter how heated the game got, the athletes kept their cool and did what they do best. All wore their game faces, cried their house battlecry, wore their colors proudly, lived the spirit of their mythical symbol. What better way to prove one’s abilities than to represent the house which he or she is a part of? What better opportunity is there for gender equality to surpass all discrimination than to bag in their goals? Men and women, regardless of gender, were not shadowed in the patriarchal shade society gave them but rather as strong, talented equals. In light of sportsmanship and camaraderie, Lasallians were true Lasallians. The four main houses embodied an intellectual melting pot society in which oneness thrived through the presence of love and acceptance. Not because of forced respect because respect is earned. Not because of plasticity nor a facade but because of love that envelops the Liceo community. Tangible love that without it unity, respect and peace never would have reigned the matches of the sports fest. Happiness begets happiness. Love begets love. Unity begets unity. With love, there is unity even in diversity.
The joint names of the four houses, four colors made into a masterpiece and lifted each other up. Liceo was united, the four houses that are diverse as they can be initially, was lead into the unity of each. This is the fight of the best and the greatest. This is the war of the strong spirits entering the battlefield to win. Each and everyone fights for the winning title. Each and everyone gets competitive for the sake of winning and claiming the throne of the champions. Nonetheless, all won in the successful affair of the senior high. Despite of the competition, one thing is sure. Liceo and its people remain and will remain to be under one community of La Salle; united despite of diversity. Congratulations to the houses! May all continue birthing, enhancing and evolving champions. Long live the Animo. Animo, La Salle!
