By Gabrielle Amber Bellosillo
Far Eastern University (FEU) Men’s Taekwondo Poomsae team captain Nick Pascua and co-captain Emmanuel Alvarez reflect on their athletic careers representing the green-and-gold as they prepare to brave a new chapter following their final bow as student-athletes.
Brimming with gratitude and humility, the two look back on years of dedication, development, and brotherhood that shaped them into the athletes and people they are today.
Beyond the mats
Before the years of commitment, medals, and even captaincy, Pascua and Alvarez were simply two students trying to navigate life while pursuing their ambition in taekwondo — a path that ultimately redefined their purpose, showing that grit and drive are what shaped them as Tamaraw athletes.
In an online interview with FEU Advocate, the FEU poomsae team captain and co-captain recounted their pivotal moments as student-athletes, remembering the days when character-building experiences fostered growth and resilience.
“'Yung FEU binuild kami to be the person na kung ano kami ngayon... 'Yung mga struggles, 'yung mga challenges na hinarap namin, 'yun ang nag-build sa amin to be a better person sa sports... pati na rin sa buhay mismo (FEU shaped us to be the person we are now. The struggles and the challenges we faced shaped us to be a better person in sports and also in life itself),” Pascua said.
Similarly, Alvarez shared that his growth began after confronting the discomfort of breaking down the wall that once kept him from reaching his potential as a rookie.
“Kasi noong first year ko rito, hirap na hirap akong i-push 'yung sarili ko. Parang ayaw kong ilagay 'yung sarili ko outside my comfort zone. Dahil do'n, nahirapan akong mag-grow as a person (When I was a freshman, I was really struggling to push myself. I did not want to place myself outside of my comfort zone. Because of that, I struggled to grow as a person),” he said.
Even then, excellence in the sport was never served to the student-athletes on a silver platter; neither did it happen overnight.
Unseen realities
Reflecting on their journey, Pascua and Alvarez both credited their formative experience in the University for honing their skills and helping them reach their full potential.
Behind every early morning training, competition, and athletic responsibility came the academic demands that are likely unseen from an outside perspective — learning to juggle both lives did not come lightly to both of the student-athletes.
For Pascua, who was a Bachelor of Science in Architecture student, college life meant jumping from completing plates to stepping on the mats during early morning trainings alongside being the team captain.
Meanwhile, as a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts major in Visual Communication graduate, Alvarez found balance between meeting creative demands and fulfilling his athletic responsibilities.
“Ano ba nauuna sa pagiging student-athlete? Student naman, ‘di ba? So, magiging student ka muna bago mo gampanan responsibilities mo bilang athlete (What comes first in being a student-athlete? Isn’t it being a student? So, you have to be a student first before fulfilling your athletic obligations),” Pascua emphasized.
Moreover, expressing a positive attitude, Alvarez stated that the demands of his course never felt as though it was holding him back; instead, he found confidence in the competitive environment that both his academic and athletic spaces fostered.
To some, eight years may be a long time to wear the same green-and-gold colors of one institution. But for Pascua, those eight years defined his character beyond being an athlete under the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), serving as a foundation for the person he is today.
The FEU jins team captain relived a memory during the early years of his athletic career in FEU Diliman. Witnessing the struggle of the taekwondo team to stay afloat, they had to carry the weight of being an underdog in their competitions, all while dealing with the threat of a dissolving team.
Despite all uncertainties, the odds eventually turned in the team’s favor as they secured a podium finish in UAAP Season 82.
“Eventually naman, nagbunga 'yung paghihirap namin. Nagkaroon kami ng podium — first runner-up kami. Siguro 'yun din ang isa sa pinakamalaking achievement ko bilang athlete dito sa FEU. Nakapagtala kami ng panalo para sa FEU (Eventually, our hard work paid off. We had a podium finish — we were the first runner-up. It was also somehow my biggest achievement as an athlete in FEU. We have brought a win for FEU),” Pascua shared.
On the other hand, for Alvarez, one of the hardest pills to swallow in collegiate sport is that hard work and effort do not always produce results in an instant.
“Most of the time, mas madi-discourage ka [maglaro] kaysa ma-motivate (Most of the time, you feel more discouraged to compete than motivated),” he admitted.
Despite this, the co-captain made peace with facing such uncertainties, embodying grit to maintain his confidence despite negative afflictions.
Final Bow
As they transition out of the green-and-gold halls, Alvarez is set to pursue a career in design and will continue training young aspiring taekwondo athletes, while Pascua plans to take a similar path as he prepares for his two-year apprenticeship, joining the former in giving back to the sport.
Wearing the beloved green-and-gold colors of the Morayta-based team for years, the two championed their pride as FEU athletes, adding that they have no regrets in competing for the University.
“Sobrang proud ko (I am very proud) as a Tamaraw to represent my school in any competition na sinalihan namin (we joined in),” Pascua remarked.
Furthermore, the team co-captain stressed his goal for FEU jins to be recognized by people as a capable team that should not be underestimated.
“Gusto ko malaman ng mga tao na… hindi kami talunan na team, na capable rin kami, malakas din kami just like any other team (I want people to know that we are not a losing team, that we are just as capable and strong as any other team),” Alvarez highlighted.
Having taken their final bow as student-athletes, Pascua and Alvarez both wish for their team’s success in the future, manifesting more podium finishes and a stronger bond among team members.
Bound to step out of the green-and-gold institution, Pascua and Alvarez finally stand at the edge of a new chapter — one that no longer calls for their regular routines, but instead carries the values they learned beyond the perimeters of their beloved alma mater.
(Photo courtesy of Nick Pascua and FEU Poomsae)