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Sports-Feature: Demonstration Sports: new set of events to look out for
Through the years, the UAAP (University Athletic Association of the Philippines) league has continued to be one of the most-anticipated athletic associations in the country along with the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) for competing athletes of schools and universities, fans, and supporters alike. Its games are composed of basketball, swimming, track and field, volleyball, table tennis, and many more, but little did we know that there are events called “demo sports” that also take place during the season.
A demonstration sport, commonly known as a demo sport, is played in the UAAP to promote and test newly introduced events. Since demo sports are not medal events, the record and awards that are achieved in these sports are not tallied and recorded for the school’s overall standings.
Demonstration sports were first officially introduced in the 1912 Summer Olympics, where participating countries or the current host country adds the traditional and popular sports of their respective countries, but with medals achieved not being counted on the official medal count. As years passed, the organizing committees of every edition of the Olympics decided to add at least one demonstration sport per season. The UAAP adapted this system and started adding demo sports in the league.
There are some sports in the UAAP that started as a demo sport and have become medal sports now, such as beach volleyball, judo, and ballroom dancing. The 3x3 basketball, a sport played by three players on each team and is only played on one side of the regular basketball court, is the latest event added to the long list of medal sports.
MAKING IT OFFICIAL. UAAP Season 82 President Em Fernandez announcing the declaration of 3x3 basketball as an official sport. Photo credit: Richard Esguerra (The UAAP)
The UP Junior Fighting Maroons Basketball Team (UPJBT) will compete in this season’s 3x3 basketball tournament at Ayala Malls Manila Bay, which was supposed to happen on March 6-8, 2020, but was now moved to a later schedule by the UAAP Board. There is also a girls’ division of the 3x3 tournament but the UPJBT currently doesn’t have a girls’ team counterpart.
The UAAP Board has also decided to introduce the boys’ and girls’ beach volleyball and lawn tennis as demonstration sports this Season 82.
The UPIS Boys’ Volleyball Team (UPISBVT) have joined the UAAP Season 82 Beach Volleyball Tournament for the first time. They have a current standing of 0-6, with one game left to compete after the UAAP board announced the final schedule. The UPIS Girls’ Volleyball Team, on the other hand, did not join this season’s tournament.
These demo sports are only a few compared to the medal sports played throughout the season. Still, even as demo sports, the athletes who’ll be representing their school should have the same level of support as the official medal events. Sooner or later, new demo sports will be added to include more sports in the league. //by Kyle Mararac
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