Shouts of victory are set to prevail once again as VSU’s Sálingkusóg 2023 Intramural Games officially commenced with the ceremonial lighting of the torch, igniting not only the flames but also the competitive spirit of Viscans coming from all campuses of VSU.
Leading the line is Martin Michael Angelo R. Valenzona, a commendable athlete who has been competing in several regional and national level sports events – emerging a multi-medalist; and this year’s designated torch bearer.
Continue to ‘carry the torch’
Carrying the torch for the university-wide intramurals is always considered a great honor and is placed at a high regard especially for athletes like Martin. As he raises the flames initiating the celebration of the spirit of sportsmanship, Martin also celebrates the recognition of his good work as a badminton athlete while carrying the load of being a Civil Engineering student.
His commitment, dedication, and high regard for the value of his game distinguished him among the many exemplary athletes in the university. For Martin, carrying the torch is not only a traditional component in the commencement exercises of this sports event, but is also a demonstration to ensure that the culture of hard work, discipline and the healthy competitive environment fostered among the Viscan community is never forgotten and continues to grow stronger.
Embracing the sport
Initially, the Baybayanon athlete was never interested in playing Badminton. It was his parents’ persistent encouragement that pushed him to start training for the sport at the young age of 10. It didn’t take him long before he realized that he actually enjoyed playing it, and soon enough, he learned to embrace badminton as his passion. Since then, he has competed in many major events where he represented his school, his hometown, and Region VIII in events like the Palarong Pambansa, Batang Pinoy (Visayas Leg & National), and EVRAA, among others.
Martin says that he would not change a thing about how he got into Badminton. Despite the fact that he used to want to do different things, now he could no longer imagine how his life would’ve played out if he did not start playing the sport. According to him, “naa kay mga gusto, pero naa pa diay mas nindot nga plano ang Ginoo para nimo.” [You may want to do other things, but God always has better plans for you.]
Juggling Badminton and Engineering
Studying engineering while also being a dedicated athlete is not an easy feat. There are times that conflict occurs between his training and academics due to many exams, but he always makes sure that he can create a balance between the two even if it means sacrificing his sleep. Being a student athlete indeed requires one to learn to manage his time well by making every minute count. And when things get a bit too heavy, Martin does not hesitate to allow himself to depend on his loved ones.
The time that he spent playing his sport and the injuries that he has acquired along the way, served as an eye-opener for him that although your passion as an athlete will always be ferocious, the human body will eventually decline. And so, acquiring injuries is the last thing that he would want. To ensure optimum performance in both of his academic and athletic domains, he also makes it a priority to take care of himself. This is one of his points on the importance of maintaining a balance between academics and sports; to make sure that he does not necessarily lose one thing over the other, but still having his priorities intact.
Never “just a game”
Maintaining a competitive mindset is crucial for Martin every time he steps into the court, because for him, a game should never be just a game. He does not want to be a manifestation of the phrase, “nag-duwa na gani, nag duwa-duwa pa.”
As a result of this mindset, Martin is far from a stranger to winning. For him, those are rewards of the discipline and hard work that he continues to impose on what he does. Not coming out victorious, however, is not a loss for him; as he believes that he gains something in every game that he partakes in. Valenzona remarked, “Every game is a win as long as you play it with all your heart.”
Learning by experience, succeeding through faith.
Finding serendipity in Badminton, Martin’s message to athletes like him is for them to keep learning and keep their faith close to their hearts. Everything is a learning experience that will only contribute to one’s growth – even learning to love what you do. And from there, transcend beyond your limits and self-constraints to achieve the goals that you set along the way. According to him, “If you have a dream, work hard for that. Take pride in everything that you do to achieve that. Keep learning, and most of all, pray. When done in God’s name, anything is possible.”
And as he ran to enkindle the flames symbolizing “the light of spirit, knowledge, and life”, he carried – along with the torch in his hand – the values that he learned in his athletic journey which he hopes Viscans like him will also learn during this year’s Intramural games.