By: Romwel Anzures
LCS Team Captain Arwin Peralta standing proudly with his fellow members as they took home the historic podium finish. Photo courtesy of Christelle Haro of The LANCE.
After their bronze finish at the NCAA Season 98 Cheerleading Competition, Letran Cheering Squad team captain Arwin Peralta looked back on all the adversities the team faced before gracing the floor as the event returned for the first time since season 94.
"From the conflicting schedules of classes to our training time, the hardship to return to our training grounds after two to three years of inactivity and so on. We endured those for a dream and for a purpose", he said.
And the fourth year Civil Engineering student from Marilao, Bulacan admitted that he and the whole squad felt ambiguous emotions before performing their sets, but it was the support of the Letran community that gave them the extra push that resulted in such a clean and well-executed performance.
"Mixed emotions were there as we were standing in front of every audience while waiting for the queue of the committee and our coaches to start our performance. We just carved in our minds that all sacrifices, injuries and misunderstandings while practicing the routines will finally pay off after we performed almost perfectly, maybe with minor issues, but all the stunts and pyramids stood up," Peralta said.
After their podium finish, a first since season 87, and winning the PHP 50,000.00 prize money, Peralta was all appreciative of everyone who helped LCS in their journey in their recent success. "On behalf of the Letran Cheering Squad, I would like to thank everyone who stayed beside us from the very start until this competition. From Fr. Rector Clarence Victor C. Marquez O.P., Fr. Vic Calvo O.P., Assoc. Prof. Cristina M. Castro-Cabral, PhD, Asst. Prof. Catherine D. Sanchez, RChe, MEN, Sir Emil Carreon and the Department of Student Affairs, and the Letran Student Council, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Now, the Knights rose in this competition, rewinding what happened a decade ago. We, the Letran Cheering Squad, hope to have won your hearts this NCAA Cheerleading Competition and we will continue the supremacy. Siempre Arriba, Siempre Letran!"