I didn’t come to The LaSallian as a journalist. I came as a volleyball fan with a story to tell.
My TLS story began not in a newsroom but in front of the television, eyes glued to the court, cheering for FEU even against the Manila Santos-led Lady Spikers. I tried playing the sport myself, though my deeper passion turned out to be for words and stories. My high school didn’t have a student paper, and my journalism experience then was almost none, just a fondness for English, reading, and watching games. My try-out article for The LaSallian was, unsurprisingly, about volleyball. That story became my ticket into the publication and opened a world that would define how I saw stories, teamwork, and truth.
During my years as a Sports Writer, The LaSallian was a world of its own, one that heralded excellence and integrity. Our batch witnessed the launch of the publication’s website, a milestone that came with its share of birth pains. Social media hadn’t yet taken over the way we consume sports, and print, whether broadsheet or magazine, was still king. By the time our articles came out in print, most games had long concluded, which meant we had to find ways to make them worth reading weeks later.
That limitation taught us creativity. Straight news alone wouldn’t work when the results were old. We learned to write with a feature finish, weaving narratives that helped readers relive the tension of a match or the quiet heartbreak of a loss, while providing exclusive insights from the players or coaches. I remember covering UAAP volleyball at the sidelines in FilOil and had a hand in all things volleyball, especially the less celebrated men’s division, which was often overshadowed by the distaff.
The long but enjoyable hours of residency and storyboard meetings forged friendships in TLS. We bonded over game coverages, post-event meals, and last-minute rewrites that tested both our patience and our grammar. Our articles were crafted by hand, edited by instinct, and fueled by the same determination that made student-athletes train past exhaustion.
Years later, the pace of sports coverage would change completely as sports journalism evolved in ways we never imagined. Game updates are now posted by the play, photos uploaded seconds after a spike, and players have followings that rival showbiz celebrities. Artificial intelligence (AI) can now summarize matches in seconds, synthesize statistics, and even write articles in an instant. It’s efficient, impressive, and at times, overwhelming. But while AI can process data, it still can’t fully capture the Animo of the Lasallian crowd, the squeak of sneakers against the floor, or the silence that follows the defeat of every Green-and-White squad. That human understanding, the heartbeat of storytelling, is what I hope endures.
Looking back, I realize that The LaSallian was my first training ground not only for writing but also for leadership. The lessons I learned in sports journalism, whether in accuracy, fairness, curiosity, or teamwork, are the same values I carry today in the Department of Tourism (DOT). My path has shifted from covering UAAP matches to helping tell the story of the Philippines through tourism, with one area close to my heart: sports tourism. Hosting and promoting sporting events that bring pride to our country has become my way of continuing the craft.
Earlier this September, during the FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship 2025, I found myself once again courtside, this time not as a student journalist but as part of the DOT’s national effort to showcase the Philippines as a capable host of world-class sports tourism events. There, I met my former TLS editor, Imman Canicosa, and Joaqui Flores, a writer-turned-photographer covering the same event. It felt like a heartwarming full-circle moment, a reminder that while the bylines change, the passion behind the sports stories remains.
As The LaSallian turns 65, my hope is that its Sports section continues to champion balance in storytelling: celebrating victories of the Green Archers while also asking hard questions, covering UAAP champions while giving voice to lesser-known teams and sports. There is power in telling stories from the margins, and I hope TLS keeps pushing for that inclusivity.
In the same way we strive in tourism to highlight emerging destinations beyond the familiar, I believe student journalists share the same mission to look beyond the obvious, to find what others overlook, and to give every story its rightful space.
It all began with my love for volleyball. But through The LaSallian, that love evolved into something deeper, a calling to tell stories that matter, whether on the court, for the country, or both. From the UAAP sidelines to the tourism frontlines, the game may have changed, but the heart, eagerness, and love for storytelling remain the same.
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EDITOR’S NOTE:
This is an unedited submission from a former section editor of The LaSallian, reflecting on how the love for storytelling manifests through journalism. The article also discusses how evolving the way we tell our stories is what sets journalists apart.
Charles Adonis Usi served as the Sports Editor of The LaSallian in AY 2010-2011, and Sports OIC in AY 2011-2012.
He graduated from De La Salle University with a degree in Development Studies.
He currently works for the Department of Tourism, leading the communications and creative efforts of its Office of Strategic Communications and Public Affairs.
