A Day in Their Shoes: Enderun Athletes Edition

Since the pandemic’s start, one of the biggest social gatherings that has been canceled are sports events. From basketball to futsal to volleyball, it has been months since our Enderun athletes have been able to step on the court and do what they love most. But being in lockdown has not stopped them from staying connected and working together. Follow them as we look into a day in their lives and see what’s changed in their routines and how they have adapted during the pandemic.

Starting with Roby Castro from the Men’s Basketball team, he starts his day with meditation and his daily readings. Follow his day as he takes you to the gym, to Accounting class, even to a session with his coach.

Next is Erika Deloria from the Women’s Volleyball team coming from the City of Smiles, Bacolod. For her vlog, she will be taking you on a short trip to Iloilo and Roxas to spend time with family. She will also be talking about her experiences in online training and her story of becoming an athlete.

Next up is Marlon Mahilum, a Technology Management student hailing from Iloilo. A member of the basketball team, watch as he takes you along as he trains and shares how he unwinds afterward. He will also be talking about how he’s been coping with online class and his quarantine hobbies like cooking, playing guitar, and learning about cryptocurrency.

As the pandemic has canceled online classes, some Titans have decided to fly home outside of the country. First, on the list of our overseas athletes, we have Leonard Mustre, greeting us all the way from the South of London. While originally from Bacolod, Leonard will be talking all about his journey from playing basketball in London to how he followed his passion to pursue it here in Enderun.

Next from sunny Los Angeles, Brian Cabungot will be showing you his home along with a quick routine of playing basketball on a local court. He will also discuss how he copes with doing his online classes despite the huge time difference.

Flying back to the Philippines, we have Fiona Abijay, a Hotel Administration student as well as the Enderun Volleyball Team’s libero. Learn how this transferee from FEU came to Enderun and what she’s learned since being in school.

Going back to basketball, we then follow Joshiel Gastador, an Entrepreneurship major from Laguna. Aside from taking us to the scenic places of his hometown, he will also be showing how he trains in the morning, attends classes, and also how he spends quality time with his family.

Moving up the country and into Baguio, we have Yohan Buenaventura and she will show you how she gets her exercise, from the pre-assigned workouts to some biking in the scenic mountain areas. You will also get an insight into her story as an athlete and how her team eventually got to represent the Cordilleras in Panlarong Pambansa.

Now we go down to Cebu where basketball player Joshua Balankig will take us around to see the wonders of his town like the mall and the beach. He will also talk about how he’s coping with balancing online classes with a busy training schedule.

While not currently at home, Pierre Marie Kouakou still took us for a short trip around his home of Côte d’Ivoire through videos and talked about how he stays in touch with his family while being here in Manila. We will also get a look into his daily routine like where he gets his much-needed basketball practice, how he manages online class and the little things he does to keep himself motivated.

Now while our next athlete is not in college yet, ABM student Gabriel Aguilar already has quite a story to tell about how he got into futsal. Learn more about that while also finding out how he keeps in touch with his teammates through games and his aspirations for the future.

Second to the last is Mary Grace “MC” Galang, a Hotel Administration student coming from Cagayan de Oro. Her vlog will show you how she spends time with the family as well as how she keeps in shape for basketball.

Last but not least, from the Enderun Drum team, we have Lance Ang-Santo. A Culinary Arts student, Lance will show you how he keeps his kitchen skills sharp while juggling the requirements of online class. He also will show you how he stays active and in touch not only with his body but with his teammates as well.

In summary, a day in the life of an athlete can be quite tiring most days. Being an athlete is a full-time commitment and it shows in their vlogs how much time and work they dedicate to staying in shape despite the pandemic preventing the game season. But even with the exhaustion, these athletes have also shown some great lessons every Titan can take away.

Firstly, maintaining your body is not only important for your physical health but can aid in reducing mental stress. It is no secret the pandemic has caused many of us to lead more sedentary lifestyles. It can also often feel hard to want to go workout, but seeing their determination to still do these workouts is a great reminder of how being active can be a great stress reliever.

The second lesson to take is the importance of maintaining a healthy mindset. Many of the athletes discussed how conversations with their coach is not only their time to talk about physical health but also to check up on their mental health. This reminds us that we all need to have a person we can discuss our issues and struggles with to help let it out and even find ways to help alleviate that. We all need to take care of our minds just as much as we do of our bodies.

And lastly, the athletes have taught us how important it is to stay connected with friends and family. Every vlog touched on how talking to friends and having a support system has helped during this uncertain time. Surrounding yourself with people (even if it’s via video call) is a must to help battle the feelings of isolation and loneliness. Whether it is a good heart-to-heart, a session of Mobile Legends, or even just a call to ask how they are, these small moments are what help keep everyone happy and connected.

No one knows when this pandemic will end or when these athletes will be able to return to the court. But rest assured, not even a pandemic will stop them from keeping up and keeping in shape. Because once it’s time to go back, we know they will be back better than ever before.

Want to follow another Titan? See a day in their lives? Let us know who we should feature next!