Beyond the Field: Athletes and hobbies

Insofar as the challenges of being a student athlete go, it is especially important to strike a balance between one’s sport and academics. As the latter is typical for every student in the University, being a member of any athletics program requires more time spent in training and competing in the UAAP.

As the second half of the UAAP season kicks off, the spotlight shines on the DLSU Men’s and Women’s Football team. The LaSallian follows Rigo Joseph (III, IBS), Men’s Football co-captain Inigo Gonzales (IV, IME-SM), and Women’s Football team captain Meryll Ledesma (V, SPM-DSM) as they gear up for their upcoming competition while balancing their other commitments.

A myriad of activities

Playing in his second year with the team in the forward and wing position, Joseph plays basketball and video games when he’s not on the football field. FIFA, NBA 2k16, and first-person shooter games like Battlefield are some of his favorite games on the PS4 console. When he has the time, Joseph would also accompany his dad in attending events as part of the family business in the wine industry.

Meanwhile, Gonzales uses his free time catching up with his family, be it a game of table tennis with siblings or a round of billiards with his dad. He would also attend weekly meditations in the study center as part of his personal and spiritual formation. The co-captain of the Green Booters mentions he engages in these activities to de-stress from all the studies and training. On the other hand, Ledesma reads books and does yoga after a long day of training and school and on occasion, hangs out with her friends at the mall.

Of UFL clubs and early football

Although they have rather different interests, football will always be the common denominator for Gonzales, Ledesma, and Joseph. A testament to this is Gonzales and Joseph being part of the country’s premier football league, the United Football League (UFL). Joseph previously trained with Forza F.C. while Gonzales currently plays for the Loyola Meralco Sparks. Both Joseph and Gonzales are products of PAREF Southridge School, while both Gonzales and Ledesma started playing football during their early years in grade school.

Conversely, for Ledesma, football wasn’t her first sport, She only started in  Grade 7 wherein she played as a  defender for the University of St. La Salle Bacolod. Prior to this, the women’s team captain instead participated in volleyball and track and field. Now playing as a striker in her final year as a Lady Booter, Ledesma has enjoyed being on the pitch and has never looked back.

The mental aspect of the game

When asked what way do his hobbies help him on the field, Gonzales said that they give him the calmness and peace of mind to play the game. “When you play football and get on the pitch, the more calm you are, the better decisions you make.”

Meanwhile, Joseph sees the positive aspect of his other interests as a way of helping him become more efficient in his day-to-day tasks.

Lastly, Ledesma sees her hobbies as a means to relax and reflect. In terms of how the sport has shaped her lifestyle, she believes it has made her a better person. “It made me responsible and productive,” she mentioned, adding that it also made her adjust to different people and taught her how to deal with pressure.

With their first games just a few weeks away, Gonzales, Ledesma, and Joseph hope to maintain the calm and composed disposition they need throughout the season. These off-field hobbies may prove to be what they need in making a successful run on the pitch.