Nostalgic for 2013

After seeing this year’s 2026 National Private Schools Athletic Association’s outcomes, particularly in women’s softball, where Central Philippine University of Region 6 won its 12^th straight national title since 2014, I had a brief bout with nostalgia.

I remembered the National PRISAA in Pangasinan. In 2013, 13 young softbelles of the University of the Cordilleras rose to national softball prominence to seize national PRISAA softball title for the Cordilleras. We humbled the same West Visayas softball team, stacked with talent from the Negros surplus, who were also the 2012 defending champions. With a one run lead in University of the Cordillera’s favor in the sixth and last inning, CPU’s final 3 batters of the top of batting order were retired. The last and final out came from an infield fly from the CPU slugger.

The UC softbelles were jubilant. We won! We had, after Churchill’s proverbial blood, sweat, toil and tears, become national PRISAA softball champions! The crowd which watched the classic game by the roadside was impressed and full of praise at the manner the game was played. A great team from West Visayas’ CPU was overcome by the tenacity and defense of an equally great team from the mountains of the Cordillera. Not a dull moment was played.

I remember that as their coach and trainer for years, I had always inculcated in them a consciousness and a goal of what we wanted to accomplish: a distinct place in Cordillera’s sports history. Being local queens in the diamonds of Baguio and Benguet for many athletic seasons were no longer the bar. We internally called it “legacy” among ourselves.

There was a common desire to write a a triumphant story for themselves as a sisterhood, bragging rights their children will listen to at some time in the future, when they grow marry and grow old. If possible, their unique experience would inspire aspiring kids, lead the young by example and impart strength from the relevant story their gut had written. After all, we came, we saw and we conquered. Cordillera’s sports history has rare championships actually won which are not yet officially written. This is one of them.

Having one and the only national PRISAA softball championship for UC-CAR amidst the loud and screaming 12 consecutive championship years of CPU-West Visayas has made my memories of 2013 in Pangasinan, even more pleasing and vindicating. The national PRISAA softball championship remains distinct and rare. Not one has duplicated the sacrifice, the title and the harvest of gold medals. Perhaps, even never. The legacy of 13 beautiful ladies from never to first ever is also mine to remember.

2013 was uniquely beautiful.